Insulting Others
The imam began this weeks reminder with the following 58th ayat from Sura Al-Ahzab which is translated to say:
As for those who abuse believing men and women unjustifiably, they will definitely bear the guilt of slander and blatant sin.
As well as the following hadith which is translated to say:
“He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him show hospitality to his guest; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain good relation with kins; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silen
Dear brothers and sisters, unfortunately we live in a time and a place where it is all too common to have insults as part of communicating with one another. As a society we have become desensitized to the insults that fly around, often under the mask of humour.
We need to be mindful that this is not the characteristic we ought to be adopting, besides the fact that it is something prohibited to us as Muslims, it is also psychologically damaging to the one doing the insulting and the one being insulted.
The imam also mentioned the Prophet SAWS being quoted as saying:
Abusing a Muslim is Fusuq (evil doing) and killing him is Kufr (disbelief).
Dear brothers and sisters, the challenge we face with this reminder is that Shaitaan has embedded this awful trait into the culture of society. From TV programs to idols, from sportsmen to Hollywood films, we see insulting protected by the guise of humour and it is so prevalent now that we have complete programs dedicated to insulting one another, where there is no limit to the level they will stoop to in order to insult one another for a laugh.
Nothing is off limits and that includes loved ones, children and even their faiths. Is this the trait of the Muslim? Is this the society we are happy to embrace or have our children embrance?
Our Prophet SAWS is reported to have said that a Muslim is:
“One from whose tongue and hands the other Muslims are secure”
So can we honestly say that this is a trait that befits the description of a Muslim as described by our beloved teacher SAWS.
And so, with
this problem clear to see, what are the practical steps that we can take to
overcome this?
This reminder concludes with 3 practical steps we can all take to help eliminate this trait from our behaviour.
- Remind oneself the role they play in this life. Dear brothers and sisters, sometimes it’s worth looking within oneself to be reminded of the purpose of our lives. Yes, we are Muslims and our life purpose is clear in that we are here to worship Allah SWT. But more than that, each and every one of us has a special purpose living here. Our role is one of dawah and invitation to Islam. And this is best done through the mannerisms and etiquettes we show to one another. How else are they going to see the truth from us if our behaviour does not reflect the fact that we represent the truth? How will they know to be the Ummah of the best of all creation SAWS, if we are not demonstrating the manners taught by the best of all creation?
This is a key fact brothers and sisters, because there will come a time where we will be witness to the disbelieving souls who will claim they did not know about the message. We will then be asked if we conveyed the message to them in our behaviour as Muslims. If we find ourselves lacking at this time then what will come of us?
Hence, it is vital that we convey the best of manners and this includes eloquence and softness in speech. That includes the elimination of any type of insult to one another.
- We should aim to be around others who share this idea of eloquence in speech. Avoid those people who insult or curse frequently and without regard as inevitably habits are passed on amongst people and you may run the risk of developing that habit yourself.
- If this is a habit, we ought to seek help of Allah SWT through dua and prayer in order to rid ourselves of it. Alongside that, a sadaqa box should be set up so that each time you slip, money is placed in the box which is then given to a charity. Others find that each time, they slip up, 2 nafl prayers is a great way to break the habit too.
Dear brothers and sisters, worship of Allah SWT goes beyond the rituals of fasting and prayers, it is the manners and etiquettes that define our faith and demonstrate our level of worship as well as show others what it means to be a Muslim. And so, by eliminating this toxic behaviour from our personalities, we can be role models for others and ambassadors of this beautiful religion of ours.
