Epistle of Tail Bearers

"The tongue is but a small soft flesh. Yet, it is capable of breaking the strongest of bonds and destroying the most powerful of relationships." ~ Yasir Qahdi.

Introduction

During my earliest classes on Right to Fair Hearing under Constitutional Law, I recall my professor asking why we have two ears. His response had brought a light mood to all of us. "To hear both sides of a story before we jumped to conclusions. Hence, Audi Alteram Patem." He had said. Now whether this is true or not, I assert with a bold certitude that, definitely, this is a food for thought for most of us this day.

Did it ever cross your mind that despite Allah Having already known everything about you, having created you, having created the Qadr right from your inception, to your life in this dunya, to your life in the barzakh and all that would take place on the day of Qiyamah, He still would make you stand before Him for questioning on the day of Qiyama? He would not just go ahead and pass His perfect judgement on you because He already knows!

SubhanAllah! Indeed, Allah does not oppress but we are the ones who oppress ourselves.

Do you now understand the significance of listening to both sides of a tale in the sight of the Most Knowing and Most Hearing?

You might be wondering why I began this way. I will tell you why. It is simply because I understand, both from experience and research that it is mostly carelessness, sheer envy and single story that push you to become judgemental; it is the same things that thrutch you to cook up lies against fellow believers. And those lies, just like wild fire, rapidly and spectacularly transform into full fledge slander and rumour that later become an article to propagate from pillar to post.

One might argue that the rumour is just for the sake of gossip and it has nothing to do with lying. As it has nothing to do with lying, therefore, for you, it is permissible to gossip and disseminate the rumour.  However, our beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW) said regarding the spreading of a rumour as a form of lying in the following hadith:

"Should I tell you what is a blatant lie? It is a rumour circulating among people." (Sahih Muslim).

Are you the one to engage in mentioning weak points and faults of the others only for recreation and amusement or for warming circles and meetings?

Are you the one to do that because no other sin is sweeter than slander for you?

Then, you need to ponder on this verse!

Surah Al-Hujraat, Verse 12:

"O you who believe! avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, surely Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful."

That is the danger of suspicion and backbiting- So evil that Allah has likened it to eating the flesh of your dead brother or sister! SubhanAllah! How evil is that. May Allah protect us.

Do you know that just like the way, when you inform or remind others to do good, the good deeds keep coming to you in multitudes just as much as the people you informed or reminded practice it? Then, know that the same rule applies when you initiate a bad thing, like a lie for example; each time it is spread amongst people, you; the original fabricator gets your own share in the sin. This is why the son of Adam, Cain, who was the first to shed blood will share in the sins of the rest of the killers from the creation of man until the last day.

Allah said in Surah An-Noor, Verse 11:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ عُصْبَةٌ مِّنكُمْ لَا تَحْسَبُوهُ شَرًّا لَّكُم بَلْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُم مَّا اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ