The Ruling on Spying on Muslims and Clarifying the Status of the Companions
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
This questioner asks: Is spying on Muslims and conveying news to the disbelievers for worldly interests, seeking money, and conveying everything about the Muslims, is this disbelief? And did Hatib ibn Abi Balta' (may Allah be pleased with him) spy for money? He says in his question.
The Shaykh:
My brother, do not address the Companions and involve them in such matters. Spying is not permissible. Allah the Exalted said, "And do not spy." Spying is not permissible; it is forbidden, except if there is a stronger benefit. A stronger benefit is fine. But spying for the sake of talebearing, or for the sake of, or for worldly greed, and he gets money for it, this is not permissible; it is forbidden. "And do not spy"; Allah has forbidden spying. And the spy is killed. If the spy is caught spying on the Muslims for the disbelievers, he must be killed because he is among those who cause corruption on earth, so he must be killed. And there remains in the question.
The questioner:
Meaning, regarding Hatib, was Hatib...?
The Shaykh:
My brother, he is a noble Companion who attended Badr, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) excused him. The Prophet excused him, and you went to his death, searching for him. Leave this, my brothers. Do not expose the Companions to anything. The Companions have noble deeds, and they have darkness, and they have good. Respect them and do not delve into what is attributed to them or what is said about them.
The Companions have a status. Do not expose any one of them. And if he made a mistake, it is forgiven. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:[At-Talaq 65:1] He looked upon the people of Badr, and Hatib was among those who attended Badr, [At-Talaq 65:1] He looked upon the people of Badr and said, "Do what you will, for I have forgiven you."
You do not know. Do not expose the Companions. And if something is attributed to them, seek excuses for them and praise them. Do not open this door.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
This questioner asks: Is spying on Muslims and conveying news to the disbelievers for worldly interests, seeking money, and conveying everything about the Muslims, is this disbelief? And did Hatib ibn Abi Balta' (may Allah be pleased with him) spy for money? He says in his question.
The Shaykh:
My brother, do not address the Companions and involve them in such matters. Spying is not permissible. Allah the Exalted said, "And do not spy." Spying is not permissible; it is forbidden, except if there is a stronger benefit. A stronger benefit is fine. But spying for the sake of talebearing, or for the sake of, or for worldly greed, and he gets money for it, this is not permissible; it is forbidden. "And do not spy"; Allah has forbidden spying. And the spy is killed. If the spy is caught spying on the Muslims for the disbelievers, he must be killed because he is among those who cause corruption on earth, so he must be killed. And there remains in the question.
The questioner:
Meaning, regarding Hatib, was Hatib...?
The Shaykh:
My brother, he is a noble Companion who attended Badr, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) excused him. The Prophet excused him, and you went to his death, searching for him. Leave this, my brothers. Do not expose the Companions to anything. The Companions have noble deeds, and they have darkness, and they have good. Respect them and do not delve into what is attributed to them or what is said about them.
The Companions have a status. Do not expose any one of them. And if he made a mistake, it is forgiven. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
You know not; perhaps Allah
لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَYou know not; perhaps Allah
لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّ اللَّهَYou do not know. Do not expose the Companions. And if something is attributed to them, seek excuses for them and praise them. Do not open this door.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Source
شرح نواقض الإسلام [ صالح الفوزان ]، الناقض التاسع : من اعتقد أن بعض الناس يسعه الخروج عن شريعة محمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم - كما وسع الخضر الخروج عن شريعة موسى - عليه السلام -؛ فهو كافر — islamhouse.com (38:48)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.