The Ruling on Boasting about Lineages and Defaming Tribes
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Question:
Another questioner says: It has become widespread among many people to boast about their lineages and what their ancestors were like, and to mention the faults of other tribes and defame them.
Answer:
This is among the matters of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (jahiliyyah) that Islam came to abolish, namely boasting about fathers and ancestors. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1001Hasan (Darussalam) This is among the matters of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance that must be abandoned and avoided, because everything attributed to the pre-Islamic age of ignorance is forbidden (haram), all of it is prohibited, and it is a major sin among the major sins. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Hujurat 49:11] He called it open sinfulness (fisq). [Al-Hujurat 49:11] He called them wrongdoers, those who engage in these matters, disparaging people’s lineages and praising their own. Then He the Exalted said: [Al-Hujurat 49:12] [Al-Hujurat 49:12-13] O you who believe [Al-Hujurat 49:13] So the purpose of knowing lineages is maintaining family ties and getting to know one another, not boasting about them. Getting to know one another means that you know each other, you know your relatives and your tribe, so you maintain ties with them and treat them well. That is the purpose. The purpose is not boasting about them, being arrogant about lineages, looking down on others, and slandering their lineages. Yes. Ah.
Another questioner says: It has become widespread among many people to boast about their lineages and what their ancestors were like, and to mention the faults of other tribes and defame them.
Answer:
This is among the matters of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (jahiliyyah) that Islam came to abolish, namely boasting about fathers and ancestors. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
There are four matters in my nation that are from the matters of Jahiliyyah
أربع في أمتي من أمر الجاهليةDefaming lineages, boasting about pedigrees, wailing over the dead, and seeking rain by the stars,
الطعن في الأنساب، والفخر بالأحساب، والنياحة على الميت، والاستسقاء بالنجوم،O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِWretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَO you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ(12) O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (13) O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.
وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ يَا أَيُّهَاindeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ
Source
75-لقاءات مع الشيخ صالح الفوزان - 11- — archive.org (38:20)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.