Holding One's Tongue part 12

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

Joking

( Nahlawi: ) The necessary condition for the permissibility
of joking is that it does not contain lies or occasion fright to
a Muslim or a non-Muslim citizen, because this hurts others,
and we are forbidden to do so.

Excessive joking is blameworthy and forbidden, since it
eliminates one's dignity and reserve, and creates resentment
in certain situations and people. It also causes immoderate
laughter, which kills the heart. The Nabi  صلى الله عليه وسلم
said to his Companions,

'' Who will take these words and apply them, or knows
someone who will?'' Abu Hurairah رضى الله عنه  answered,
''I will, O Messenger of Allah,'' whereupon the Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم
took his hand and enumerated five things, saying :

''Avoid the unlawful and you will be the most religious of people.''

''Be satisfied with what Allah has allotted you and you will be the
richest of people.''

''Treat your neighbor well and you will be a believer.''

'' Love for others what you love for yourself and you will be a Muslim.''

''Avoid excessive laughter, for too much laughter kills the heart.''
                                                                                     Tirmizi 


Picking Apart Another's Words

(Nahlawi :) Picking apart another's words consists of  attacking
another's speech by revealing the mistakes in it, whether its weak
Arabic, meaning, or the intention of the speaker, as when one says,
'' This is true, but you do not  intend the truth by it,'' when such an
attack involves no other motive than contempt for the other and
displaying one's cleverness. It is haraam (unlawful).

Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said : '' Whoever forgoes to cavil when he is
in the wrong will have a home built for him on the edge of paradise.
Whoever forgoes it when in the right will have a home built for him
in the middle of paradise. And whoever improves his own charac-
ter, a home will be built in the highest part of paradise.''
                                                                                  Tirmizi

When a believer hears something true, it befits him to accepts it. If
it is not true, but is unconnected with religious matters, he should
remain silent, though if connected with religious matters, he is obliged
to show that it is false and to condemn it if there is a chance that any-
one will believe him, because this is forbidding the wrong.

Giving A  Positive Interpretation To Other's
Seeming Mistakes

Nawawi (رحمه الله) mentions, in the section of the introduction of Sharh
al- Muhadhdhab about the behavior of teacher and student, that '' it is
obligatory for a student to give a positive interpretation to every utter-
ance of his brothers that seems to be wrong until he has exhausted
seventy excuses. No one is incapable of this except a failure.'' 

Extracts from
Ahmad ibn Naqib al- Misri
Reliance of the Traveller
Tran .. Nuh Ha mim Keller




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