{"id":13561,"date":"2023-02-22T14:02:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T09:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muftitaqiusmani.com\/en\/?p=13561"},"modified":"2023-04-02T15:07:29","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T10:07:29","slug":"thinking-ill-of-others-and-undue-curiosity-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muftitaqiusmani.com\/en\/thinking-ill-of-others-and-undue-curiosity-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"THINKING ILL OF OTHERS AND UNDUE CURIOSITY-Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THINKING ILL OF OTHERS AND UNDUE CURIOSITY \u2013 Part 1<\/span><\/h1>\n

\u201cO you who believe, abstain from many of the suspicions. Some suspicions are sins. And do not be curious (to find out faults of others), and do not backbite one another. Does one of you like that he eats the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor it. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful.\u201d (49:12)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Zann\u2019 (thinking ill of others, believing that others have done bad things or have bad intentions without any evidence) and \u2018Tajassus\u2019 (undue curiosity) are two sins which many people today do not consider to be sins anymore even though the Holy Qur\u2019an has clearly commanded that people should not think ill of others, and not to have undue curiosity (in the sense of always trying to find out other people\u2019s mistakes and flaws). Seeking to find other people\u2019s weaknesses and flaws is Haraam.<\/p>\n

The Holy Qur\u2019an has said in very clear words; \u201cAnd do not be curious\u201d. It means that people should not occupy themselves with trying to find other people\u2019s faults, and everyone should just keep to their own business. Similarly, being suspicious of others, ascribing bad intentions to them, or believing that they have done something wrong, without any evidence for any of the above, is Haraam (unlawful). Even if someone hears a rumour about someone else, they should not start thinking ill of them and should keep a good opinion, until and unless they see incontrovertible proof. In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet \ufdfa said;<\/p>\n

\u201cHarbour good thoughts towards believers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Being unduly suspicious of people that he must have done this wrong, he must have done this for this reason, has been prohibited in the Holy Qur\u2019an in the verse quote above; \u201cSome suspicions are sins\u201d.<\/p>\n

Cause of many social ills<\/span><\/p>\n

All of these actions are Haraam and there are very clear injunctions in Qur\u2019an and Hadith against these activities. They lead to a lot of social ills, and give rise to discord, enmity, and break-ups in relationships in society. That is why both of these are major sins. Unfortunately, many people in our society are afflicted with these spiritual ills. People start believing without any reason about what other people may have done, or why they may have done certain things, and then they form such a strong belief as if they have seen them doing those things with their own eyes. Sometimes, they hear a rumour about someone, and then jump to conclusions and start believing all sorts of things about that person. Later on, they repeat these allegations not even as \u2018may have done this\u2019, but rather as \u2018has done this\u2019.<\/p>\n

The sequence of commands in the verse<\/span><\/p>\n

While interpreting the verse of the Holy Qur\u2019an mentioned above, Allamah Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Allah Ta\u2019ala adopted a strange sequence in that verse. It first says \u201cabstain from many of the suspicions\u201d. It means that if you hear a rumour about someone, do not start believing in it without any concrete evidence. This has been declared Haraam. Now the person who was harbouring these bad thoughts about someone might say that okay, we should not start believing bad things about others without evidence. Now I will go and investigate whether this weakness, this flaw, is really present in him, or not. But then the Holy Qur\u2019an says \u201cdo not be curious\u201d. It means that you are not permitted to even investigate other people\u2019s faults and weaknesses. Because what concern is it of yours whether he has committed some sin or not? He will have to answer to Allah Ta\u2019ala himself if he has committed some sin. What has it got to do with you? You should be concerned about your own sins. That is why undue curiosity into other people\u2019s affairs and actions has been prohibited.<\/p>\n

Difference between Tajassus (\u062a\u062c\u0633\u0651\u0633) and Tahassus (\u062a\u062d\u0633\u0651\u0633)<\/span><\/p>\n

In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet \ufdfa used two different words. \u201cDo not do \u2018Tajassus\u2019 and do not do \u2018Tahassus\u2019.\u201d Tajassus means trying to find out another person\u2019s faults, regardless of whatever means a person has to adopt to achieve that goal. Tahassus means trying to overhear someone\u2019s private conversation, or trying to find out someone\u2019s secrets which the other person is trying to hide. In this Hadith, the Holy Prophet \ufdfa declared both of these to be Haraam.<\/p>\n

Worry about your own faults<\/span><\/p>\n

If we begin to develop an insight into our weaknesses, our own flaws, our own sins, and what may happen to us in the Aakhirah (Hereafter) because of these sins, then we would have no time or inclination to look at other people\u2019s faults. As the last Mughal emperor and a famous Urdu poet has said, \u201cI kept looking at other people\u2019s flaws for as long as I was unaware and unmindful of my own flaws. Once I became aware of my own flaws, then I was unable to look at anyone else\u2019s flaws and could not think bad of anyone else.<\/p>\n

Which suspicions are Haraam<\/span><\/p>\n

Hadhrat Thanavi (may Allah have mercy on him) said;<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving low opinions of others comes from Takabbur. When a person actively suspects other people of having done bad things, or having bad intentions, through his own volition, then this is impermissible. If such a thought comes unintentionally without his own volition it is not a sin, unless a person acts on it. The ways a person can act on it are that either he starts firmly believing it, or mentions it in front of another person. As long as a person does not act on an unintentional thought, it is neither a sin, nor is it harmful.\u201d<\/p>\n

It means that a person is accountable only for those thoughts which he thinks intentionally, and not for those thoughts which come passively and unintentionally into his mind.<\/p>\n

Do not jump to conclusions<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, you see a person exiting a hotel during Ramadan. One can have a thought unintentionally that this person may not be fasting. This unintentional thought is not a sin. However, one should not start firmly believing it to be the case without any evidence. He should give the other person benefit of doubt and should think that he may have gone to the hotel to buy food for a sick family member, or to talk to someone. When such possibilities exist, he should consider these rather than automatically jumping to the conclusion that the person must have gone there to eat. We are under no obligation to start investigating other people\u2019s behaviour, beyond generally believing them to be doing good and being well-intentioned.<\/p>\n

What level of thinking ill of others is Haraam<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, the thought that came unintentionally is not Haraam and the person will not be held accountable for it. However, if he starts firmly believing that initial thought that this person must have not been fasting or must have intended to break his fast, and that is why he must have gone to that hotel to eat, this level of thinking ill of others is Haraam. Some people go even further, and start exaggerating and embellishing the facts, for example, they would say something like, \u201cI saw him eating in that hotel\u201d, even though they had only seen the person exiting from that hotel. This is absolutely Haraam.<\/p>\n

That is why Hadhrat Thanavi RE has said;<\/p>\n

\u201cHarbouring bad opinions of others is condemnable if such thoughts are brought on intentionally. If these thoughts come unintentionally it is not a sin, as long as a person does not act on them. And \u2018acting on them\u2019 means that the person starts firmly believing them (without any evidence), or talks about these suspicions in front of others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thinking ill of others stems from Takabbur<\/span><\/p>\n

Further on, Hadhrat Thanavi RE has described the treatment of this spiritual illness.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever you get bad thoughts about others, which stem from Takabbur, reflect on your own flaws.\u201d<\/p>\n

It means that if you get bad thought about someone that they must have done something wrong, or done something for the wrong reasons, then even though you are not accountable for it if it has come involuntarily, but if this thought stays for long in your mind, it will lead to sin. Either it will lead to firm belief, or will lead to you mentioning this suspicion in front of others. That is why it is important to treat even such involuntary thoughts. And the treatment is to reflect on one\u2019s own weaknesses, flaws and sins, that reminding oneself that I am still engaged in so many sins, what right have I got to look at other people\u2019s weaknesses. If a person keeps reflecting on his own weaknesses, gradually he will get rid of this spiritual illness.<\/p>\n

The end result of being suspicious of others and undue curiosity is backbiting<\/span><\/p>\n

Hadhrat Thanavi RE said;<\/p>\n

\u201cThe root cause of being suspicious of others\u2019 intentions, undue curiosity and backbiting is Takabbur (arrogance, grandiosity). In fact, a person with Takabbur only feels satisfied after he has performed other people\u2019s Gheebat. Thinking ill of others and undue curiosity are its preliminaries. If a person remains suspicious of other people\u2019s actions and intentions, and keeps trying to find out their secrets and flaws, but does not perform Gheebat, then his final objective would not be achieved, therefore, he will give up his suspiciousness and taking undue interest in their affairs. That is why Gheebat is the most serious of these sins.\u201d<\/p>\n

It means that if a person believes that he is better than others, only then he starts being suspicious of other people\u2019s actions and intentions, tries to find out their weaknesses and flaws, and performs their Gheebat. And the primary objective among the three is Gheebat. That is what he really enjoys. The reason he engages in undue curiosity is that he will find out something bad about others and so will be able to do their Gheebat in front of others, and the reason he attributes bad actions and intentions to others is so that he can badmouth that person in front of others.<\/p>\n

Further on Hadhrat Thanavi RE said;<\/p>\n

\u201cThe degree of having bad thoughts about others which is a sin is when a person starts firmly believing his bad opinions of others. If he does not believe these bad opinions firmly it is not a sin, but it is still important to treat it. And the treatment is that the person should keep reflecting on his own flaws. If some of these thoughts remain unintentionally after treatment, then it is not harmful.\u201d<\/p>\n

May Allah Ta\u2019ala grant us the ability and the motivation to understand and practice His Deen fully and properly. Aameen<\/p>\n

\u0648\u0627\u0653\u062e\u0631 \u062f\u0639\u0648\u0627 \u0627\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0645\u062f \ufdf2 \u0631\u0628 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0646<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n