Tuesday, November 1, 2011

His colleague at works backbites about people – what should he do with him?

 

I have a friend who talks about people a lot, during Ramadaan and at other times. Because we work together at the same workplace, he is with me all the time.


 I hope that you can reply to my question about the ruling on my listening to what he says.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

Allaah has prescribed fasting during the month of Ramadaan to
that those who fast may attain taqwa (piety). Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is
prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may
become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[al-Baqarah 2:183] 

If that colleague who
eats the flesh of people (by gossiping) does not pay heed to this month then
when will he pay heed, repent and fear Allaah? 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it,
Allaah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.” Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 1804. 

‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“Fasting is not just (giving up) food and drink, rather it is giving up
lying, falsehood and idle talk.” 

Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: “When you fast, then let your hearing, your sight and your tongue
fast from lying and sin, stop abusing servants and be tranquil and dignified
on the day when you fast. Do not let the day when you do not fast and the
day when you fast be the same.” 

Those who backbite about people and “eat their flesh” should
beware lest their fast be lost and lest all they get from it is hunger and
thirst. 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “There may be a fasting person who gets nothing more from
his fast that hunger and thirst, and there may be a person who prays qiyaam
and all he gets from his qiyaam is a sleepless night.” Narrated by Ahmad,
8693; classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan, (8/257) and by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/262. 

Some of the scholars are
of the view that committing sins invalidates the fast. 

Hafsah bint Sireen (may Allaah have mercy on her) said:
“Fasting is a shield, so long as the one who fasts does not break it, and
what breaks it is backbiting.” 

It was narrated that Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: They used to say that lying breaks the fast of one who
is fasting. 

This was also the view of some of the salaf, which is that
all sins break the fast, and whoever commits a sin when he is fasting has to
make it up. This is the view of Imam al-Awzaa’i, and was the view favoured
by Ibn Hazm al-Zaahiri (may Allaah have mercy on him). 

But the majority of scholars are of the view that committing
sins reduces the reward for fasting, but it does not invalidate the fast,
and this is the correct view. See the answer to question no.
50063. 

Secondly: 

Backbiting is a major sin. Allaah, may He be glorified and
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe!
Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither
backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead
brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allaah. Verily,
Allaah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful”

[al-Hujuraat 49:12] 

It was narrated that Anas
ibn Maalik said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “When my Lord took me up into heaven, I passed by some
people who had nails of copper with which they were scratching their faces
and chests. I said: ‘Who are these, O Jibreel?’ He said: ‘These are the ones
who used to eat the flesh of the people and impugn their honour.’”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4878; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 533. 

Thirdly: 

You have to denounce this colleague of yours and not approve
of what he is doing. 

It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever among you sees an evil
action, let him change it with his hand (by taking action); if he cannot,
then with his tongue (by speaking out); and if he cannot, then with his
heart (by hating it and feeling it is wrong), and that is the weakest of
faith.” 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Note that the one who hears any backbiting about a Muslim
should refute it and rebuke the one who says it. If he does not rebuke him
in words he should rebuke him by his actions. If he cannot rebuke him by his
actions or his words, then he should leave that gathering. If he hears any
backbiting about his Shaykh or anyone else who has a right over him or is
one of the righteous and virtuous people, then he should pay even more
attention to what we have said. 

In the book of
al-Tirmidhi we narrated from Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever protects the honour of his brother, Allaah will protect his face
from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.” Al-Tirmidhi said: It is a hasan
hadeeth. End quote. 

Al-Adhkaar, p. 795, 796. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
was asked: 

I am a young woman who hates backbiting and gossip. Sometimes
I am with a group of people who talk about others and they start backbiting
and gossiping. In my heart I hate and loathe this, but because I am very shy
I cannot tell them not to do that, and there is no place I can go to get
away from them. Allaah knows that I wish that they would talk about
something else. Is there any sin on me for sitting with them? What should I
do? May Allaah help you to do what is best for Islam and the Muslims. 

He replied: 

There is sin on you for that unless you denounce the evil. If
they accept that from you, then praise be to Allaah, otherwise you have to
leave them and not sit with them, because Allaah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“And when you (Muhammad)
see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses (of the
Qur’aan) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another
topic. And if Shaytaan (Satan) causes you to forget, then after the
remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zaalimoon
(polytheists and wrongdoers)”

[al-An’aam 6:68] 

“And it has already been
revealed to you in the Book (this Qur’aan) that when you hear the Verses of
Allaah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage
in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that
case you would be like them”

[al-Nisa’ 4:140] 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with
his hand (by taking action); if he cannot, then with his tongue (by speaking
out); and if he cannot, then with his heart (by hating it and feeling it is
wrong), and that is the weakest of faith.” Narrated by Imam Muslim in his
Saheeh. 

And there are many other verses and ahaadeeth which say the
same thing. And Allaah is the Source of strength. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz,
4/440. 

So strive to remind your colleague of the ruling on
backbiting, and explain to him the punishment of the one who does that.
Perhaps he will give up what he is doing of sin. Remind him that backbiting
during Ramadaan is more sinful, and the basic principle is that you should
avoid sitting with him if he persists in not responding to the command of
Allaah. But seeing as you work with him and you cannot leave the place, then
avoid listening to him and stop paying any attention to what he says. You
can use the means of threatening to report him to his superiors at work, or
threaten to tell the people about whom he is talking. Perhaps if he does not
fear Allaah he will fear people and will stop backbiting about them, and you
will be relieved of having to listen to his annoying talk. 

And Allaah knows best.

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