The ruling on mentioning a person in his absence with what he dislikes for the sake of warning and advice
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Your Eminence! One of the brothers gave a talk about backbiting and warned against backbiting, and warned against the false publications that Muhammad al-Musayri is putting out.So one of the people stood up and responded to him, saying: Is your doing this backbiting of that person? Is that correct? Also, is it true that you said this person, al-Musayri, has no reputation and is not subject to backbiting? This was reported to us, so we ask you to verify this.
As for the one who warns against backbiting and against the publications of the man you mentioned, there is no doubt that he is correct.And the prohibition of backbiting is present in the Book of Allah: [Al-Hujurat: 12] .
And as for the one who said to him: Your mentioning this man who publishes them is backbiting.
Also, we say to him: Mentioning that is not backbiting, but rather it is advice. Mentioning a person with what he dislikes as advice to the Muslims is advice and good. Did not the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when Fatimah bint Qays came to him seeking his counsel and saying: “Mu‘awiyah, Abu Jahm, and Usamah ibn Zayd have proposed to me,”Did he not say, may the prayers and peace be upon him: (As for Mu‘awiyah, he is a pauper with no wealth, and as for Abu Jahm, he is a man who beats women. Marry Usamah) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned what they disliked without a doubt, but for the sake of advice.
So if our mentioning this man who stirs up fitnah among the people, and publishes the faults of the scholars and the faults of the rulers, if our mentioning him is by way of advice and warning people against him, then this is good, and it is a means by which a servant draws near to his Lord. And the one who forbids that, meaning forbids warning against this man, is forbidding good and forbidding advice.
And I see: That this man be left alone, and that he not be a cause of debate among the youth and among the people.And as it is said in the proverb: (If a well comes to you with a foul smell, spoil it and you will be at ease) .
And it does not benefit for him to be a model of debate. In my opinion, if the many words do not occur, his fire will be extinguished by the permission of Allah, as we said previously: [Al-An'am: 21] , [Yunus: 81] The questioner: They are all claims, and they distribute these matters in the mosques.
The Shaykh: In any case, they will receive their recompense.
The questioner: Is it true that it was reported from you: that this person has no reputation and is not subject to backbiting?The Shaykh: No, absolutely not. And it is my custom that I do not mention a specific person at all. For this reason, you will find that in this answer of mine, I prefer not to mention his name; because attaching things to descriptions is better than attaching them to persons. If you attach it to the person, perhaps that person will repent and return to Allah, and your word about him will remain until the Day of Resurrection. But if you mention it by descriptions, it becomes general for him and others, and if Allah wills to guide him, he will be safe from being specifically identified.So I say: Every person who spreads division and publishes faults, it is obligatory to warn against him.
As for the one who warns against backbiting and against the publications of the man you mentioned, there is no doubt that he is correct.And the prohibition of backbiting is present in the Book of Allah:
or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it.
وَلا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتاً فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُAnd as for the one who said to him: Your mentioning this man who publishes them is backbiting.
Also, we say to him: Mentioning that is not backbiting, but rather it is advice. Mentioning a person with what he dislikes as advice to the Muslims is advice and good. Did not the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when Fatimah bint Qays came to him seeking his counsel and saying: “Mu‘awiyah, Abu Jahm, and Usamah ibn Zayd have proposed to me,”Did he not say, may the prayers and peace be upon him: (As for Mu‘awiyah, he is a pauper with no wealth, and as for Abu Jahm, he is a man who beats women. Marry Usamah) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned what they disliked without a doubt, but for the sake of advice.
So if our mentioning this man who stirs up fitnah among the people, and publishes the faults of the scholars and the faults of the rulers, if our mentioning him is by way of advice and warning people against him, then this is good, and it is a means by which a servant draws near to his Lord. And the one who forbids that, meaning forbids warning against this man, is forbidding good and forbidding advice.
And I see: That this man be left alone, and that he not be a cause of debate among the youth and among the people.And as it is said in the proverb: (If a well comes to you with a foul smell, spoil it and you will be at ease) .
And it does not benefit for him to be a model of debate. In my opinion, if the many words do not occur, his fire will be extinguished by the permission of Allah, as we said previously:
Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed.
إِنَّهُ لا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَIndeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَThe Shaykh: In any case, they will receive their recompense.
The questioner: Is it true that it was reported from you: that this person has no reputation and is not subject to backbiting?The Shaykh: No, absolutely not. And it is my custom that I do not mention a specific person at all. For this reason, you will find that in this answer of mine, I prefer not to mention his name; because attaching things to descriptions is better than attaching them to persons. If you attach it to the person, perhaps that person will repent and return to Allah, and your word about him will remain until the Day of Resurrection. But if you mention it by descriptions, it becomes general for him and others, and if Allah wills to guide him, he will be safe from being specifically identified.So I say: Every person who spreads division and publishes faults, it is obligatory to warn against him.