The Muslim Woman and Her Community / Society

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She refrains from slandering the honour of others and seeking out their faults

The God-fearing Muslim woman restrains her tongue and does not seek out people's faults or slander their honour, and she hates to see such talk spread in the Muslim community. She acts in accordance with the guidance of the Qur'an and Sunnah, which issue a severe warning to those corrupt men and women who indulge in slandering the honour of others, that they will suffer a terrible punishment in this world and the next:

( Those who love [to see] scandal published broadcast among the Believers, will have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows, and you know not.) (Qur'an 24:19)

The one who indulges in the slander of people's honour, and spreads news of scandal throughout the community is just like the one who commits the scandalous deed, as `Ali ibn Abi Talib (RAA) stated:

"The one who tells the news of scandal and the one who spread the news are equally sinful."41

Note: 41. Reported by Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, 1/419, Bab man sami'a bi fahishah fa afshaha.

The true Muslim woman understands that the human shortcomings of some weak or careless women cannot be dealt with by seeking out their faults and mistakes and broadcasting them throughout the community. The way to deal with them is by offering sound advice to the women concerned, encouraging them to obey Allah (SWT), and teaching them to hate disobedience themselves, always being frank without hurting their feelings or being confrontational.

Kind words and a gentle approach in explaining the truth opens hearts and minds, and leads to complete spiritual and physical submission. For this reason, Allah (SWT) forbids the Muslims to spy on one another and seek out one another's faults:

( . . . And spy not on each other . . .) (Qur'an 49:12)

Exposing people's shortcomings, seeking out their faults, spying on them and gossiping about them are actions which not only hurt the people concerned; they also harm the greater society in which they live. Therefore the Qur'an issued a stern warning to those who love to spread scandal in the community, because whenever scandal is spread in a community, people's honour is insulted, and rumours, plots and suspicions increase, then the disease of promiscuity becomes widespread, people become immune to acts of disobedience and sin, the bonds of brotherhood are broken, and hatred, enmity, conspiracies and corruption arise. This is what the Prophet (PBUH) referred to when he said:

"If you seek out the faults of the Muslims, you will corrupt them, or you will nearly corrupt them."42

Note: 42. Reported with a sahih isnad by Abu Dawud, 4/375, Kitab al-adab, bab fi al-nahi 'an al-tajassus.

So the Prophet (PBUH) issued a stern warning to the Muslims against the danger of slandering people's honour and exposing their faults. He threatened that the one who takes such matters lightly would himself be exposed, even if he were hiding in the innermost part of his home:

"Do not hurt the feelings of the servants of Allah (SWT); do not embarrass them; do not seek to expose their faults. Whoever seeks to expose the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah (SWT) will seek to expose his faults and expose him, even if he hides in the innermost part of his home."43

Note: 43. Reported with a hasan isnad by Ahmad, 5/279.

The Prophet (PBUH) was deeply offended by those who were nosey, suspicious or doubtful, or who sought to undermine people's reputation and honour. He would become very angry whenever he heard any news of these aggressors who hurt others. Ibn `Abbas (RAA) described the anger of the Prophet (PBUH) and his harshness towards those who slandered the honour of others:

"The Prophet (PBUH) gave a speech that even reached the ears of virgins in their private rooms. He said: `O you who have spoken the words of faith, but faith has not penetrated your hearts! Do not hurt the feelings of the believers and do not seek out their faults. Whoever seeks out the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah (SWT) will seek out his faults, and whoever's faults are sought out by Allah (SWT) will be exposed, even if he is in the innermost part of his house."44

Note: 44. Reported by al-Tabarani; the men of its isnad are thiqat. See Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8/94.

These harsh words, which were even heard by the virgins secluded in tprivate rooms, reflect the anger felt by the Prophet (PBUH). He started his speech with the words "O you who have spoken the words of faith, but faith has not penetrated your hearts!" How great is the sin of those who are included among those whose hearts are deprived of the blessing of faith!

She does noshow off or boast

The Muslim woman does not slip into the error of pride, boasting and showing off, because her knowledge of Islam protects her from such errors. She understands that the very essence of this religion is sincerity towards Allah (SWT) in word and deed; any trace of a desire to show off will destroy reward, cancel out good deeds, and bring humiliation on the Day of Judgement.

Worshipping Allah (SWT) is the goal behind the creation of mankind and jinn, as the Qur'an says:

( I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me.) (Qur'an 51:56)

But this worship cannot be accepted unless it is done sincerely for the sake of Allah (SWT):

( And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being True [in faith] . . .) (Qur'an 98:5)

When a Muslim woman's deeds are contaminated with the desire to boast or show off or seek fame and reputation, the good deeds will be invalidated. Her reward will be destroyed and she will be in a clear state of loss. The Qur'an issues a clear and stern warning to those who spend their wealth then remind the beneficiaries of their charity of their gifts in a way that hurts their feelings and offends their dignity:

( O you who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury - like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor the Last Day. They are in Parable like a hard, barren rock, on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it [just] a bare rock. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guides not those who reject faith.) (Qur'an 2:264)

Reminding the poor of one's generosity cancels out the reward of these acts of charity, just as pouring water washes away all traces of soil on a smooth stone. The last part of the ayah presents the frightening admonition that those who show off do not deserve the guidance of Allah (SWT) and are counted as kafirs: ( And Allah guides not those who reject faith.)

Such people's main concern is to appear to people to be doing good works; they are not concerned with earning the pleasure of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) has described them as doing apparently good deeds:

( . . . to be seen of men, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance.) (Qur'an 4:142)

Thus their deeds will be thrown back in their faces, because they associated something or someone else with Allah (SWT), and Allah (SWT) does not accept any deeds except those which are done purely for His sake, as is stated in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (RAA), in which he reports that he heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say:

"Allah (SWT) said: `I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine shall have that action renounced by Me to the one whom he associated with Me."45

Note: 45. Sahih Muslim, 18/115, Kitab al-zuhd, bab tahrim al-riya'.

The true Muslim woman is cautious, when doing good deeds, to avoid falling into the dangerous trap into which so many women who seek to do good have fallen, without even realizing it, by seeking praise for their efforts and honourable mention on special occasions. Theirs is a terrible fall indeed.

The Prophet (PBUH) has clearly explained this issue and has referred to the terrible humiliation that those who show off will suffer on that awful Day ( whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he [will prosper] that brings to Allah a sound heart.) (Qur'an 26:88-89).

This is mentioned in another hadith in which Abu Hurayrah (RAA) said:

"I heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: `The first person to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who was martyred. He will be brought forth and Allah (SWT) will remind him of His blessings, and he will recognize them. Then he will be asked, "What did you do with them?" He will say, "I fought for Your sake until I was martyred." Allah (SWT) will say, "You have lied. You only fought so that people would say, `He is courageous,' and they did say it." Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire. Then there will be a man who studied much and taught others, and recited Qur'an. He will be brought forth and Allah (SWT) will remind of His blessings, and he will recognize them. Then he will be asked, "What did you do with them?" He will say, "I studied much, and taught others, and recited Qur'an for Your sake. Allah (SWT) will say, "You have lied. You studied so that people would say, `He is a scholar,' and you recited Qur'an so that they would say, `He is a qari',' and they did say it." Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire. Then there will be a man to whom Allah (SWT) gave all types of wealth in abundance. He will be brought forth and Allah (SWT) will remind him of His blessings and he will recognize them. Then he will be asked, "What did you do with them?" He will say, "I have never seen any way in which You would like money to be spent for Your sake without spending it." Allah (SWT) will say, "You have lied. You did that so people would say, `he is generous,' and they did say it." Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire."'"46

Note: 46. Sahih Muslim, 13/50, Kitab al-imarah, bab man qatila li'l-riya' wa'l-sum'ah.

The intelligent Muslim woman who is truly guided by the Qur'an and Sunnah carefully avoids slipping into the sin of boasting in any of its many forms. She is ever keen to devote all of her deeds exclusively to Allah (SWT), seeking His pleasure, and whenever the appalling spectre of pride and boasting looms before her, she remembers and adheres to the teaching of the Prophet (PBUH):

"Whoever makes a show of his good deeds so that people will respect him, Allah (SWT) will show what is truly in his heart."47

Note: 47. Bukhari and Muslim. See Sharh al-Sunnah, 10/323, Kitab al-riqaq, bab al-riya' wa'l-sam'ah.

She is fair in her judgements

The Muslim woman may be put in a position where she is required to form an opinion or judgement on some person or matter. This is where her faith, common sense and taqwa reveal themselves. The true Muslim woman judges fairly, and is never unjust, biased or influenced by her own whims, no matter what the circumstances, because she understands from the teachings of Islam that being just and avoiding unfairness are at the very heart of her faith, as stated by clear and unambiguous texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah and expressed in commandments that leave no room for prevarication:

( Allah does command you to render back your Trusts to whom they are due; and when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice . . .) (Qur'an 4:58)

Justice as known by the Muslim and the Islamic society is aboslute and pure justice. It is not influenced by friendship, hatred or blood ties:

( O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and do not let the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.) (Qur'an 5:8)

( . . . Whenever you speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned . . .) (Qur'an 6:152)

The Prophet (PBUH) set the highest example of justice when Usamah ibn Zayd came to intercede for the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, and the Prophet (PBUH) had decided to cut off her hand. He said: "Do you intercede concerning one of the punishments decreed by Allah (SWT), O Usamah? By Allah (SWT), even if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad had committed theft, I would have cut off her hand."48

Note: 48. Bukhari and Muslim. See Sharh al-Sunnah 10/328, Kitab al-hudud, bab qat' yad al-sharif wa'l-mar'ah wa'l-shafa'ah fi'l-hadd.

This is absolute, universal justice which is applied to great and small, prince and commoner, Muslims and non-Muslims. None can escape its grasp, and this is what differentiates justice in Islamic societies from justice in other societies.

History records the impressive story that earns the respect of the institutions of justice throughout the world and at all times: the khalifah `Ali ibn AbTalib stood side by side in court with his Jewish opponent, who had stolen his shield, on equal terms. The qadi, Shurayh, did not let his great respect for the khalifah prevent him from asking him to produce evidence that the Jew had stolen his shield. When the khalifah could not produce such evidence, the qadi ruled in favour of the Jew, and against the khalifah. Islamhistory is full of such examples which indicate the extent to which truth and justice prevailed in the Muslim society.

Therefore the Muslim woman who truly adheres to the teachings of her religion is just in word and deed, and this attitude of hers is reinforced by the fact that truth and justice are an ancient part of her heritage and fairness is a sacred part of her belief.

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