Assalamualaikum!

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Assalamualaikum! This is a short story with
fictional characters
but based on the Quran and authentic Ahadith
of the Prophetsaw
Average viewing time 5 minutes
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Assalamualaikum, dear brothers and sisters in
Islam! My name is Majid and theres something I
recently learned that Id like to share with all
of you. You see, I was visiting my friend Saleh
last week and
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And hows your business running, Majid?
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Well, its not going all too well
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I understand, its the economic recession
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Well, that too but the real cause of the problem
is my business partner, Mahmud! He is a lazy,
good-for-nothing man I now regret my decision
to enter into a partnership with him!
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What seems to be the problem? Have you tried
talking to him about it?
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Whats the point? Hes not bothered with keeping
up with his part of the deal and its incurring
us losses. I find him asleep at his desk whenever
I visit the office!
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Majid, you must talk over these matters with him.
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I did talk to him once and he said some family
concerns were occupying his mind. But its been
months now and he doesnt get his lazy self out
of the office to check on the work in progress!
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Something must be wrong
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Yes a heavy breakfast, an early lunch and no
intention to work for progress thats whats
wrong with him!
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Majid, I understand your concern for your
business, but I must also advise you to be
cautious with your words
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Why? He isnt here so why do I need to be
cautious?
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Precisely. He isnt here, which is why we must be
careful of the manner in which we talk about him.
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You dont mean backbiting, do you? But this
isnt backbiting Im telling you the truth about
Mahmud nothing wrong with that.
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Brother, Alhamdolillah, we are Muslims and it is
our duty to uphold a persons honor in his
presence as well as in his absence.
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Yes, but as I said, Im not lying about him
thats just the kind of person he is!
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Actually, the Prophetsaw clearly defined Gheebah,
or backbiting, in a well known Hadith
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The Messengersaw of Allah said Do you know what
backbiting is? They said, Allah and His
Messenger know best. Hesaw then said, It is to
say something about your brother that he would
dislike. Someone asked him, But what if what I
say is true? The Messengersaw of Allah said,
If what you say about him is true, you are
backbiting him, but if it is not true then you
have slandered him. (Sahih Muslim)
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Speaking the truth is also backbiting? Are you
sure?
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These are not my words but the words of Allahs
Messengersaw, whom Allahswt sent to us as a
complete role model.
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I never thought of it that way. Now I recall that
there is an ayah in the Quran about backbiting
but I dont remember it exactly
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Yes, thats an ayah from Surah Al Hujurat about
spying and backbiting where Allahswt says
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O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, 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 Allâh. Verily,
Allâh is the One Who accepts repentance, Most
Merciful. Surah Al Hujurat 12
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Yes, thats the one. Subhaan Allah, I would never
have thought of correlating that ayah to what I
say about Mahmud!
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But what if I go and tell Mahmud what I am saying
to you right now? Thats not backbiting, is it?
He would know what I said about him
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That is true, it would not be hidden from him but
how would that make him feel?
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Well I dont knowI mean, he has his faults so
he cannot expect to be let off without any harm
hes practically asking for it!
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I wonder, brother, which one of us is free of
faults? We all have weaknesses and we dislike
others to know about them.
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Well, yes
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How would I feel if a particularly bad habit of
mine was spread among the people? I wouldnt know
how to face those people.
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Then what must one do? We talk about people all
the time, we joke about it we really dont mean
any harm.
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Brother, in our open and unchecked discussions,
we have much to lose. Indeed, Allahswt has said
about a group of gossip mongers in the Quran
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When you were propagating it with your tongues,
and uttering with your mouths that whereof you
had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing,
while with Allâh it was very great. Surah
An-Noor 15
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What Saleh was an eye-opener but it made perfect
sense. Backbiting and slander can really harm
relationships. I wish I could continue the story
but its time for Asr salah in my part of the
world. Ill just leave you with this ayah from
the Quran thats a great motivation to avoid
backbiting and abusing people
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The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal.
Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e.
Allâh ordered the faithful believers to be
patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those
who treat them badly), then verily! he, between
whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as
though he was a close friend. Surah Fussilat 34
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If you have any comments or suggestions, please
visit www.beautifulconduct.wordpress.com and let
us knowInshaa Allah!
May Allah reward you for listening intently and
may He guide you to what is best in His Deen!
Assalamualaikum!