To Kill A Mocking Tongue!

Yesterday I was trying to find a picture of a famous footballer I had seen a few weeks ago on the internet. The reason I was looking for it as it was a very funny picture as it was taken at a strange angle while the player was in the middle of a game. My initial plan was to post it with a funny comment. However thankfully I was advised by someone that this may fall under backbiting and at the very least would certainly not be of good character. As a muslim we have been taught on numerous occasions not to make fun of others, not to immitate others, riddicule others, insult or offend others. So part of the character of a Muslim is NOT to make fun or to laugh at and mock others which unfortunately is a terrible disease that has spread through out the Muslim community globally and Im addressing this to myself 1st. Anyways I came across a really nice article by Muhammad Al Shareef which I thought Id share with you. Ive edited it making it slightly shorter as I know how busy you all are prob sneaking on to this blog in a quick tea break from work or in my case while my nephew who I look after is fast asleep in his morning nap!
May Allah guide us all away from mocking others ameen.

note:
sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam is arabic for- Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and it is said after the name of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

radi Allahu 'anhu is arabic for- May God be pleased with him and its usually said after the names of one of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him)

To Kill A Mocking Tongue!


Al-Ma'roor ibn Suwayd narrates that he once saw Abu Dharr – radi Allaahu ‘anhu – wearing a beautiful shawl. His slave standing next to him was wearing a shawl exactly like it, warm and beautiful.
Ma'roor said to Abu Dharr, “Perhaps you could take the shawl of your servant and give him another (less expensive) one.”
“Never,” said Abu Dharr, “for I once had a servant whose mother was not Arab and I cussed him and his mother. That servant went to the Messenger of Allah – (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) – complaining of the words I had said.
“When Rasul Allaah – (pbuh)– saw me he commented, ‘O Abu Dharr, you are a man who still has Jahilliyyah (Pre-Islamic Ignorance) in him.'”
Because of these painful words, Abu Dharr – may Allah be pleased with him - would always dress his servants in the exact same garments that he would wear.

Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, family and friends, God is disobeyed most with our tongues. There is a sin that sweeps amongst us, a sin that many take lightly, a sin that is laughed at, a sin that could very well pull someone to Hellfire: It is the sin of insulting others.

Read carefully this following verse. It is a commandment of Allah that begins with a call to those who claim to have Eemaan. Allah ta'ala says in the Qur'an (49/11):
O you who believe let not one group of people make fun of another, perhaps the (one's being made fun of) are better then them. And let not women make fun of other women perhaps the (woman being made fun of) is better then them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by (offensive) nicknames. Wretched is the name (i.e. mention) of disobedience after (one's) faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the Dhaalimoon (the wrongdoers). Perhaps the one that is being made fun of is more beloved to Allah.

Subhaan Allah, let us remember this if we ever try to make fun of someone, perhaps Allah loves them and does not love us. Didn't the Mushrikeen make fun of Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – and we know Allah loved him and not them. Didn't the Munaafiqeen make fun of the Sahaabah – and we know Allah loved the Sahaabah and not them.

Abu Moosa – radi Allaahu ‘anhu – said: I asked Allah's Messenger, ‘Who out of the Muslims is the best?' He replied, “Those whom the other Muslims are safe from his tongue and hands.” – Agreed Upon
The mockingbird, native to the western hemisphere, has a very interesting name. The mockingbird gets its name from its ability to mimic the sounds of other animals. It combines song notes of it's own with sounds from other birds, doing so in almost a mocking way. It is an endangered species, and we hope - in sha Allah – that the mocking it got its name after will become endangered in our communities too.
Al-Hasan Al-Basree – rahimahullaah – said, “Whoever does not guard the slips of their tongue has not understood their Deen.”

In conclusion, the questions that begs to be asked is:

What is the cure for this disease of the tongue?

There are many different cures but we shall just go over a few to start with insha'Allah.

1: We should know that it is a major sin. In fact, a person may make a single statement – not paying any heed to it – by which he may slip in to Hellfire.

2: We should distance ourselves from those long useless gatherings where nothing is done for hours except laughing and chatting. Of course laughing and spending time with family and friends is beneficial and is good to do in fact the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would also joke with his companions although there was never a lie even in his joking. The point is not to over do it therefore forgetting to also spend time together discussing benefical points remembering Allah and teaching each other something new. But to remember when ever a gathering is based on insulting others then its better to politely leave if you feel that you are unable to steer the discussion onto something which is pleasing to Allah

3: If you feel yourself that you just have to insult someone, ask Allah to protect you from the Shaytaan and this satanic act. As Allah ta'ala says (7/200): And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.

4: And of course, if anyone of us should fall into this sin, we should be swift in turning back to Allah in Towbah. Say Astaghfirullaah wa ‘atoobo ilayh, O Allah I ask You to forgive me and I return to You.

Allah ta'ala says in the Qur'an (49/11): And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the Dhaalimoon (the wrongdoers).

Finally, if there is one thing that you remember from this post let it be this following commandment of Allaah ta'ala, memorize it and teach it to at least one other person:

'O you who believe let not one group of people make fun of another.'