(39) Verify the fault before criticising
It was clear by the tone of his voice when he rang me that he was angry, but he was trying his best to conceal his anger. This was not the tone I was used to hear from Fahd. I noticed that he was holding something against me.
He began to talk about the many trials people have to face nowadays. Then his tone became harsher and he began to repeat, “You are a preacher, a student of knowledge, and your actions will be accounted for…”
I said to him, “Dear Abu ‘Abdullah, would you like to speak about the issue upfront?”
He said, “Well, you gave a lecture at such-and-such a place where you said, such and such.”
I became amazed and asked, “When was this?”
“About three weeks ago”, he answered.
I said, “I have not been to that area for about a year.”
He said, “No, you have! And you spoke about this!”
It then became clear to me that my friend heard a rumour and he believed it, and on that basis he formulated his advice, his stance and his words. No doubt I still love him but my respect for him has decreased, because I discovered that he is too hasty.
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How many are those who draw a conclusion or form views based on a rumour they may hear! Many of them come to advise you only to discover that they were following hearsay. Many of them allow these rumours to become imprinted in their hearts and on that basis they paint a picture of you, which happens to be false.
Sometimes it becomes widespread that so-and-so did suchand-such. In order to preserve the respect he has for you, verify the news before speaking to him, and this was the methodology of the Prophet Peace be upon him.
A man came to the Prophet Peace be upon him and the Prophet looked at him only to notice a man in a shabby state, his hair covered in dust. The Prophet Peace be upon him wanted to advise him to improve his appearance, but he feared that the person might be a pauper who had no money.
So he asked him, “Do you have any wealth?”
The man said, “Yes, I do.”
The Prophet said, “What sort of wealth?”
The man said, “All sorts of wealth: camels, slaves, horses, cattle, etc.”
The Prophet Peace be upon him said, “If Allah has given you wealth, then let it be shown on your person.”
Then he said, “Does your camel give birth to young ones with sound ears, but you get hold of a blade and cut off the ears and call it Baheerah?
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And do you cut a bit of it, or cut its skin and call it Sarm, thereby making it forbidden for yourselves and your family?”
The man said, “Yes.”
The Prophet Peace be upon him replied, “Verily, what Allah has given you is Halaal. Allah’s blade is the sharpest!” (al-Hakim who declared it Sahih)
In the Year of Delegations, some envoys came to the Prophet Peace be upon him having accepted Islam to give the pledge of allegiance to him, whilst others came to him as disbelievers in order to accept Islam or to make pacts. One day, as the Prophet Peace be upon him sat amongst his Companions, there came a delegation from al-Sadif. There were about ten of them. They headed for the Prophet’s gathering and sat down without giving salutations.
The Prophet asked them, “Are you Muslims?”
They said, “Yes”.
The Prophet said, “Why did you not give salutations?”
They stood up and said, “Peace from Allah be upon you, O Prophet, and His mercy and blessings!”
He replied, “Peace be to you, too! Please be seated!” They then sat down and asked him about the prayer times.
During ‘Umar’s era, Islamic lands had expanded, so he appointed Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas as an Amir over Kufa. The people of Kufa at the time were wreaking havoc against their leaders. A group of them sent a letter to ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – complaining about Sa’d. In the letter they mentioned many faults, even claiming that he did not pray well!
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When ‘Umar read the letter, he did not hastily make a deci-sion or write a letter of advice. Instead, he sent Muhammad bin Maslamah to Kufa with a letter for Sa’d. He also ordered him to accompany Sa’d and to ask the people about his dealings.
Muhammad bin Maslamah arrived in Kufa and informed Sa’d of the news. He then began to pray in the various mosques with Sa’d and started to ask the people about his dealings.
He did not leave a mosque except that he asked about Sa’d, and the people never mentioned him with anything but good.
This was the case until they entered one of the mosques of Banu ‘Abs, where Muhammad bin Maslamah stood up and asked the people about their leader, Sa’d. They all spoke in praise of him.
Muhammad then said, “I ask you in the name of Allah, do you know anything else about him?”
They said, “No, we do not know anything but good.”
When Muhammad repeated the question, there rose a man at the end of the mosque. His name was Usamah bin Qatadah.
He said, “If you have asked us in the name of Allah, then listen to what I have to say. Sa’d neither treats us fairly, nor is he just in disputations.”
Sa’d became surprised and said, “Am I like this?!”
The man said, “Yes.”
Sa’d then said, “By Allah, I pray to Allah for three things. O Allah, if this servant of Yours is a liar, and he has only stood up to show off, then prolong his life, extend his poverty, and give him tribulations in life!”
Then Sa’d left the mosque and headed towards the city, and after several years he passed away.
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But as for the man, the prayer of Sa’d never left him. He became aged, his bones became weak and his back became crooked. His life became so long that he tired of it. His poverty became so severe that he would sit on the streets, begging people for money. His eyebrows hung over his eyes due to old age. Whenever women passed by him, he would stretch out his hands to harass them. As a result, people used to scream at him and insult him, to which he would respond by saying, “What else can I do? I am a trial-stricken old man, who has been afflicted with the prayer of a righteous man, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas.”
Hadith…
It is a bad premise for a man to make assertions.
It is enough of a sin for a person to speak whatever he hears.
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