Chapter: "Chapter on Casting Aspersions on Lineages" Explanation of the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Whom Allah guides, no one can mislead, and whom He leaves to mislead, no one can guide. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.
[Ali 'Imran 3:102]
[An-Nisa 4:1]
[Al-Ahzab 33:70-71] .
As for what follows:
Indeed, the best of speech is the speech of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). And the worst of matters are their innovations, and every innovation is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.
Our previous lesson was on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 395 We have already spoken about wailing as required, and what remains for us is the explanation of his saying (peace be upon him) Casting aspersions on lineages means doubting the lineage of a Muslim person, whether male or female, to one of his ancestors, whether from the higher or the lower end, meaning whether one doubts the lineage of a person named Zayd to his father from whom he was born, or to his higher father. This casting of aspersions is among the forbidden things; indeed, some scholars have mentioned that it is among the major sins, because this casting of aspersions necessarily entails attributing to him, in the expression used today in Syria, that he is a "son of fornication." There is no doubt that this casting of aspersions is among the major sins. Included in this forbidden casting of aspersions is when a person is of noble lineage, being a descendant of al-Hasan or al-Husayn, meaning attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). The honor of being attributed to the Messenger (peace be upon him) has no path except one of two paths: that is the path of al-Hasan or al-Husayn. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), although he was blessed with many children, especially daughters, none of them left behind a child or offspring, except for Fatimah (peace and blessings be upon her), who left behind al-Hasan and al-Husayn. Therefore, the descendants of all those attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are only through Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), who left behind al-Hasan and al-Husayn. So every noble person’s lineage undoubtedly ends with al-Hasan or al-Husayn; their mother is Fatimah and their father is 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them). If there is a person also attributed to al-Hasan or al-Husayn, it is not permissible to cast aspersions on this lineage without knowledge.
The jurists and scholars say that people are secure regarding their lineages, meaning that every person is presumed to be truthful in his statement, "My father is so-and-so, my grandfather is so-and-so," and so on. He is believed in what he says until evidence is presented that proves the lie in this claim. At that point, the lie of this claimant of lineage to a father, even if this father is not of noble lineage as we mentioned, an ordinary father, is significant. Many people, especially in this time, because they are tested by the world and its appearances, and perhaps afflicted with some wealth, abundance, and status, find that their father is actually a vagabond with no value in this society. So he disowns him so that he is not mocked or blamed for this father who has no status or mention among people. This disowning corresponds to casting aspersions on the lineage of the one who claims it. Just as casting aspersions on lineages is forbidden and among the major sins, a person’s disowning of his lineage is also a major sin. Therefore, it came in Sahih al-Bukhari and others: meaning, whoever claims that he saw something in a dream and lies, meaning, the two things that are the most false lies are that a person disowns his lineage and that he claims to have seen something in a dream when he saw nothing. Just as a person’s disowning of his lineage is among the major sins, casting aspersions on the lineage of one who claims a certain lineage is also among the major sins. Just as it is not permissible for a Muslim to disown his lineage for a claimed benefit, it is not permissible to cast aspersions on the lineage of this claimant.
And this casting of aspersions, as I explained just now, can be interpreted in two ways. Casting aspersions in general, whether the person is noble or not, such as saying, "So-and-so is not the son of so-and-so." This means he is a son of fornication. Or saying, "He claims to be attributed [to a noble lineage] but is not attributed." This is also casting aspersions on lineage, because people are secure regarding their lineages. It is not our concern that if we accept the claim of one who claims to be attributed to al-Hasan or al-Husayn, and suppose he was truthful in that and we cast aspersions on his lineage, we would then have committed a major sin. And if he was lying, his sin is upon himself, and he is the one who committed this great sin.
Therefore, casting aspersions on lineages is among the major sins and among the characteristics of the first age of ignorance (Jahiliyyah). Among the characteristics of the people of Jahiliyyah was boasting about lineages; one would say, "My father is so-and-so, my grandfather is so-and-so, and you are a man with no origin, no lineage, and no status." So there are two opposing characteristics: boasting about lineages, which is an action of Jahiliyyah, and casting aspersions on lineages, which corresponds to that boasting about lineages. Both are actions of Jahiliyyah, and both are forbidden.
Therefore, a Muslim should not fall into any of these characteristics of Jahiliyyah, especially since among the etiquette of Islam is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih Muslim 2699a A person’s lineage, even if it has its honor in terms of this world, does not benefit him at all in the Hereafter. Therefore, it became famous among some of the scholars of the Salaf or the poets who were granted some knowledge, where he said: "We do not, even if our lineages are noble, rely on lineages one day" This is the meaning of the verses: "But we do as they did" This is the correct Islamic guidance.
Therefore, it is not permissible to cast aspersions on lineage, nor is it permissible to boast about lineage, nor is it permissible to rely on lineage, because what benefits the Muslim is his deed.
O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمونO mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.
يا أيها الناس اتقوا ربكم الذي خلقكم من نفس واحدة وخلق منها زوجها وبث منهما رجالا كثيرا ونساء واتقوا الله الذي تساءلون به والأرحام إن الله كان عليكم رقيبا(70) O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. (71) He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيماAs for what follows:
Indeed, the best of speech is the speech of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). And the worst of matters are their innovations, and every innovation is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.
Our previous lesson was on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)
There are two courses that my Community will not abandon: wailing and attacking a person's lineage.
شعبتان لا تتركهما أمتي النياحة والطعن في الأنسابand casting aspersions on lineages
والطعن في الأنسابThe jurists and scholars say that people are secure regarding their lineages, meaning that every person is presumed to be truthful in his statement, "My father is so-and-so, my grandfather is so-and-so," and so on. He is believed in what he says until evidence is presented that proves the lie in this claim. At that point, the lie of this claimant of lineage to a father, even if this father is not of noble lineage as we mentioned, an ordinary father, is significant. Many people, especially in this time, because they are tested by the world and its appearances, and perhaps afflicted with some wealth, abundance, and status, find that their father is actually a vagabond with no value in this society. So he disowns him so that he is not mocked or blamed for this father who has no status or mention among people. This disowning corresponds to casting aspersions on the lineage of the one who claims it. Just as casting aspersions on lineages is forbidden and among the major sins, a person’s disowning of his lineage is also a major sin. Therefore, it came in Sahih al-Bukhari and others:
Whoever saw what he did not see
أن من رأى ما لم يرand disowns his lineage, he is one of the most false in breaking the covenant
وتبرأ من نسبه فهو من أفرى الفريAnd this casting of aspersions, as I explained just now, can be interpreted in two ways. Casting aspersions in general, whether the person is noble or not, such as saying, "So-and-so is not the son of so-and-so." This means he is a son of fornication. Or saying, "He claims to be attributed [to a noble lineage] but is not attributed." This is also casting aspersions on lineage, because people are secure regarding their lineages. It is not our concern that if we accept the claim of one who claims to be attributed to al-Hasan or al-Husayn, and suppose he was truthful in that and we cast aspersions on his lineage, we would then have committed a major sin. And if he was lying, his sin is upon himself, and he is the one who committed this great sin.
Therefore, casting aspersions on lineages is among the major sins and among the characteristics of the first age of ignorance (Jahiliyyah). Among the characteristics of the people of Jahiliyyah was boasting about lineages; one would say, "My father is so-and-so, my grandfather is so-and-so, and you are a man with no origin, no lineage, and no status." So there are two opposing characteristics: boasting about lineages, which is an action of Jahiliyyah, and casting aspersions on lineages, which corresponds to that boasting about lineages. Both are actions of Jahiliyyah, and both are forbidden.
Therefore, a Muslim should not fall into any of these characteristics of Jahiliyyah, especially since among the etiquette of Islam is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)
he who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his (high) lineage does not make him go ahead.
من بطأ به عمله لم يسرع به نسبهTherefore, it is not permissible to cast aspersions on lineage, nor is it permissible to boast about lineage, nor is it permissible to rely on lineage, because what benefits the Muslim is his deed.