Beware of suspicion: Do not spy to look for others' faults

Whenever I pick up a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, I get embarrassed and ashamed for we are only doing a lip service of being a Muslim while our actions are entirely tangent to teaching of Islam and preaching of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Hadith selected for this post, about jealousy, suspicion and finding faults with others, is yet another warner which was as applicable to the initial times of Islam when the newly inducted Muslims continued to carry with them the habits and culture of the dark days. And today after almost 15 centuries, our habits are exactly the same for which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had cautioned against.

This Hadith has been mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 78 Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab) كتاب الأدب / Chapter 57: Jealousy and mutual estrangement are forbidden بَابُ مَا يُنْهَى عَنِ التَّحَاسُدِ وَالتَّدَابُرِ) as Hadith 6064

Narrated Abu Huraira:

حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيثِ، وَلاَ تَحَسَّسُوا، وَلاَ تَجَسَّسُوا، وَلاَ تَحَاسَدُوا، وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوا، وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا ‏"‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for the others' faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you!")

Now if we look at the Prophetic warning, we would realize that we have not changed since. Many of us are always on the lookout to find some fault with others, even close relatives, to save a point scoring or use it to their nefarious intentions. This post is more applicable to women for it is their habit to talk ill of others, being unnecessarily suspicious of others and always eavesdropping to pick up some "news" to be spread in their circles to belittle the others.

A recent trend is the use of spy cameras installed in hotels and rest houses where people of position stay to make videos of their private lives to blackmail them. I wonder whether such people read these Hadiths or are so indifferent to these sayings and sin by their jealous actions. I wish we become better Muslims someday.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.  

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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