This article discusses the honour that Allah has bestowed on every believer in faith. The virtues and honour of a believer explained by extracting verses of the Noble Quran and The Noble Hadith of our beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. An insight into the divine commands and prohibitions regarding this subject.
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Topics discussed in this article:
- Section 1: Importance and Virtue of protecting the honour of a Muslim
- Section 2: Eating the flesh of your brother
- Section 3: Verbal harm
- Section 4: Lying and deceiving [spreading rumours]
- Section 5: Leave that which does not concern you
- Section 6: Brotherhood
- Section 7: Good Counsel [Enjoining good and forbidding evil]
- Section 8: Social Media
- Section 9: Being Conscious of Allah
Section 1: Importance and Virtue of protecting the honour of a Muslim
The honour of a believer is acknowledged in the divine scriptures. Various Ahadith allude towards this aspect. In fact, The Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم outlined the importance of this in his final sermon, which is worthy of being written in gold. Below we will mention a few selected Ahadith in this regard.
عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ إِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وَأَعْرَاضَكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَرَامٌ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا أَلَا لِيُبَلِّغ الشَّاهِدُ مِنْكُمْ الْغَائِبَ
105 صحيح البخاري كتاب العلم باب ليبلغ العلم الشاهد الغائب
1679 صحيح مسلم كتاب القسامة والمحاربين والقصاص والديات باب تغليظ تحريم الدماء والأعراض والأموال
Abu Bakrah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said in the farewell sermon, “Verily, your lives, your property, and your reputations have been made sacred to you, just as the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours. Will not the witness inform the absent?”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 105, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1679
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon)
This blessed sermon [which is known as ‘The Farewell Sermon’] was delivered by The Noble Prophet [ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ] during the month of Dhul Hijjah and on the day of Arafah. The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are considered the most righteous days of the entire year, and from these ten days, the day of Arafah is considered the most virtuous. This blessed sermon was also propagated in the blessed city of Makkah, which is also the most virtuous city from all the cities of the world.
So just as virtuous the day of Arafah is and the city of Makkah is, so too is the honour of a believer. A muslims honour should be maintained and great precaution should be taken in upholding this honour, just like we would for the blessed city of Makkah.
As the honour of a believer is likened to the blessed city of Makkah and the righteous day of Arafah, we also find in a Hadith it being likened to the Kabah. Rather, the Hadith mentions the honour of a believer has greater reverence than the Kabah.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ نَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَقَالَ مَا أَعْظَمَكِ وَأَعْظَمَ حُرْمَتَكِ وَلَلْمُؤْمِنُ أَعْظَمُ حُرْمَةَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْكِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ مِنْكِ وَاحِدَةً وَحَرَّمَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ ثَلاثًا دَمَهُ وَمَالَهُ وَأَنْ يُظَنَّ بِهِ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ
[6196 شعب الإيمان للبيهقي تحريم أعراض الناس وما يلزم من ترك الوقوع فيها]
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, looked at the Ka’bah and he said, “How great are you and how great is your sanctity! Yet, the believer has greater sanctity to Allah than you. Verily, Allah sanctified you once and sanctified the believer thrice in his life, his wealth, and to not assume evil about him.”
[Source: Shu’ab al-Imān 6196]
The Kabah being the most virtuous place on the face of this earth, and every believer holds it in the highest level of reverence, honour and respect, in the same manner so should the honour and dignity of a believer.
There are various Ahadith which inform us regarding the virtue and reward of honouring a believer. For example in a narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi:
عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَنْ رَدَّ عَنْ عِرْضِ أَخِيهِ رَدَّ اللَّهُ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ النَّارَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
[1931 سنن الترمذي كتاب البر والصلة باب ما جاء في الذب عن عرض المسلم]
Abu Darda reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever defends the reputation of his brother, Allah will defend his face from the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.”
[Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1931]
Exalted is Allah! How great is the reward of revering the honour of a believer, such that he will be protected and saved from the hellfire.
A final point in this subchapter, which is a warning for those who wrong their brothers and sisters in faith. Imam Bukhari [256 AH] narrates in his authentic Sahih compilation:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “ من كانت عنده مظلمة لأخيه، من عرضه أو من شيء، فليتحلله منه اليوم قبل أن لا يكون دينار ولا درهم ، إن كان له عمل صالح أخذ منه بقدر مظلمته، وإن لم يكن له حسنات أخذ من سيئات صاحبه فحمل عليه”
رواه البخاري]]
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who has done a wrong affecting his brother’s honour or anything else, let him ask his forgiveness today before the time (i.e., the Day of Resurrection) when he will have neither a dinar nor a dirham. If he has done some good deeds, a portion equal to his wrong doings will be subtracted from them; but if he has no good deeds, he will be burdened with the evil deeds of the one he had wronged in the same proportion“.
[Al-Bukhari – 210]
The gist of this Hadith is, anyone who harms his brother or sister in faith – which can either be physical, mental or verbal harm – then on The Day of Judgement, either two or both of the following will occur:
-
His righteous actions will be transferred to the person he or she harmed in accordance with the level of oppression. [So the higher level of harm the more of your righteous actions will be given over]
-
If a person does not have any righteous actions [or any righteous actions remaining], then he or she will take the person’s [that was harmed] sinful actions [according to the same proportion].
This way, complete justice will be carried out on The Day of Reckoning in the presence of Almighty Allah.
Section 2: Eating the flesh of your brother
One of the most prevalent practices of defaming a believer’s honour is the loathsome sin of backbiting. It is severely detested and one of the Major sins. Allah says:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌۭ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًۭا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ١٢
O believers! Avoid many suspicions, ˹for˺ indeed, some suspicions are sinful. And do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of their dead brother? You would despise that! And fear Allah. Surely Allah is ˹the˺ Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.
[Quran – 49:12]
The definition of backbiting is ‘To mention something regarding your brother or sister – in their absence – which he or she would dislike.’
This is taken from a Hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّهُ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا الْغِيبَةُ قَالَ ” ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ ” . قِيلَ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ قَالَ ” إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدِ اغْتَبْتَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ ” .
Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: Messenger of Allah! What is back-biting? He replied: It is saying something about your brother which he would dislike. He was asked again: Tell me how the matter stands if what I say about my brother is true? He replied: If what you say of him is true, you have slandered him, and if what you say of him is not true, you have reviled him.
[Sunan Abu Dawud: 4874]
Now, there are 3 levels of backbiting which is outlined by Imam Qurtubi [Allah bless him]:
- Backbiting [الْغِيبَةُ]: This is when you mention regarding your brother [behind his back] that which is true.
- Tale-Bearing [الْإِفْكُ]: To spread something without knowing its reality.
- Slander [الْبُهْتَانُ]: When you mention regarding your brother that which is not true.
All three are Major sins, and severely disliked in Islam. A ‘grave’ punishment is mentioned in hadith for this dishonorable act:
عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِقَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَيُعَذَّبُ فِي الْبَوْلِ وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَيُعَذَّبُ فِي الْغَيْبَةِ
[349 سنن ابن ماجه كتاب الطهارة وسننها باب التشديد في البول]
Abu Bakrah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by two graves and he said, “Verily, they are both being punished, but not for a sin difficult to avoid. As for one, he is punished for the habit of soiling himself with urine. As for the other, he is punished for the habit of backbiting.”
[Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 349]
Hence, we have been warned from perpetrating this act.
Section 3: Verbal harm
Verbal harm is another way in which a believer’s honour is degraded. The Noble Quran clearly prohibits this act, as does the Sunnah.
Almighty Allah says:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌۭ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَآءٌۭ مِّن نِّسَآءٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًۭا مِّنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا۟ بِٱلْأَلْقَـٰبِ ۖ بِئْسَ ٱلِٱسْمُ ٱلْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ ٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ١١
O believers! Do not let some ˹men˺ ridicule others, they may be better than them, nor let ˹some˺ women ridicule other women, they may be better than them. Do not defame one another, nor call each other by offensive nicknames. How evil it is to act rebelliously after having faith! And whoever does not repent, it is they who are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers.
[Quran – 49:11]
A Hadith explains the above:
، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ.
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr [Allah bless him]:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands.”
[Sahih Bukhari: Hadith:10]
In the above hadith both verbal and physical harm is prohibited. A part of faith is to avoid harming a believer both verbally and physically. Hence, faith is not complete until one desists from this act.
Section 4: Lying and deceiving [spreading rumours]
Lying, deceiving and spreading false rumours is also often enacted to taint a believer’s honour. All three detestable sins interplay with one another, and all are abhorred. Consider the following Hadith:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ، حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا ”.
Narrated `Abdullah [Allah bless him]:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.“
Imagine being called a ‘liar’ on the day of judgement by Allah, in front of the entire creation! It is unfathomable the shame and humiliation.
As for slandering and spreading rumours, Allah rebukes this:
لَّوْلَآ إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًۭا وَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَآ إِفْكٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ١٢
If only the believing men and women had thought well of one another, when you heard this ˹rumour˺, and said, “This is clearly ˹an outrageous˺ slander!” [24:12]
Our responsibility as believers is to assume good for our believers in faith. Only those who it concerns should investigate the matter [slander], and those who it does not concern, should assume good for our believers in faith.
Section 5: Leave that which does not concern you
We have mentioned a list of detestable sins and now the root cure for all these sins is mentioned in the following hadith:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مِنْ حُسْنِ إِسْلاَمِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لاَ يَعْنِيهِ “
Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] narrated that the Messenger of Allah [Allah bless him] said:
“Indeed among the excellence of a person’s Islam is that he leaves what does not concern him.”
[Sunan Tirmidhi: 2317]
This hadith is considered the root cure for many sins of the tongue. Anyone who brings this trait in their life will save and protect themselves from many harms & evil. Thus, through this noble quality one protects and safeguards the honour of a believer.
Section 6: Brotherhood
Another important issue the Quran and Ahadith highlight is divine brotherhood. Consider the following hadith:
عَنْ وَاثِلَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمُسْلِمُ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ وَمَالُهُ الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ لَا يَظْلِمُهُ وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ وَالتَّقْوَى هَاهُنَا وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الْقَلْبِ قَالَ وَحَسْبُ امْرِئٍ مِنْ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ
[16019 مسند أحمد بن حنبل]
Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’ reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his life, his honor, and his wealth. The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not wrong him or betray him. Righteousness is here,” and he pointed to his heart. The Prophet said, “It is enough evil for a man to look down upon his Muslim brother.”
[Source: Musnad Aḥmad 16019]
The Prophet [Allah bless him] likened the entire Muslim Ummah as one building, meaning one nation.
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا وَشَبَّكَ أَصَابِعَهُ
[481 صحيح البخاري كتاب الصلاة أبواب استقبال القبلة باب تشبيك الأصابع في المسجد وغيره]
[2585 صحيح مسلم كتاب البر والصلة والآداب باب تراحم المؤمنين وتعاطفهم وتعاضدهم]
Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the believers are like bricks of a building, each part strengthening the other,” and the Prophet clasped his fingers together.’’
[Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 481, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2585]
Living as one nation, assisting one another and lowering the wing of humility is incumbent upon us and our duty.
Section 7: Good counsel [Enjoining good and forbidding evil]
Now we have mentioned the importance of guarding the tongue and the importance of brotherhood. From brotherhood is to advise one another.
Almighty Allah states:
وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٥٥
But ˹continue to˺ remind. For certainly reminders benefit the believers.
Also, Allah highlights the obligation of commanding good and forbidding evil.
Allah says:
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ ١١٠
You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah.
There are numerous verses of The Noble Quran and Ahadith that outline its importance.
However there are two main aspects that has to be considered when giving advice:
- Authentic knowledge on the subject
- Advise in private
- Not to make apparent the flaws of the believers
Consider the following statement by Imam Shafi [204 AH]:
عن المزني قال الشافعي رحمه الله مَنْ وَعَظَ أَخَاهُ سِرًّا فَقَدْ نَصَحَهُ وَزَانَهُ وَمَنْ وَعَظَهُ عَلانِيَةً فَقَدْ فَضَحَهُ وَخَانَهُ
[13854 حلية الأولياء لأبي نعيم الإمام الشافعي]
Al-Muzanni reported: Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Whoever admonishes his brother in private has been sincere to him and protected his reputation. Whoever admonishes him in public has humiliated him and betrayed him.”
[Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 13854]
Section 8: Social Media
As social media has now become widespread, and the chances of falling into sin is high, one must be careful of how he or she uses it.
One must make sure he or she does not get involved in any form of sin, and rather use it a a means of spreading good. As it can become a means of for us or against us on the day of Judgement.
Allah says:
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًۭا مِّمَّن دَعَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًۭا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ ٣٣
And whose words are better than someone who calls ˹others˺ to Allah, does good, and says, “I am truly one of those who submit.”?
It will become a means of reward and blessings in this life and the hereafter.
Section 9: Being Conscious of Allah
Finally the key aspect in order to live a successful life by Allah, is having firm conviction in the hereafter and being conscious of Allah.
Once a person has conviction in the hereafter he will be careful of his actions and statements.
A beautiful statement of Amir Al-Mumineen Umar [Allah bless him], states:
عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ حَاسِبُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُحَاسَبُوا وَزِنُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُوزَنُوا فَإِنَّهُ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْحِسَابِ غَدًا أَنْ تُحَاسِبُوا أَنْفُسَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ
Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Hold yourselves accountable before you are held accountable and evaluate yourselves before you are evaluated, for the Reckoning will be easier upon you tomorrow if you hold yourselves accountable today.”
So therefore being mindful of Allah and that all of your actions and statements are being recorded will ensure that you will take more care in your actions and statements.
