What is the correct stance toward a talebearer?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you. This person comes, as you mentioned, and speaks this kind of speech, and it is likely in his opinion that he is of this type, but the One who knows the secrets is Allah. So if the person is confronted, he says, "No, you are not like that." What is the correct stance in this case?
The Shaykh : The correct stance is that you do not give in to your own self, especially in our time. Be careful.
The questioner : What is the advice?
The Shaykh : If people come to you, say: "We ask Allah for guidance, we seek refuge in Allah from evil, we seek refuge in Allah from trials, and the like of that."
The questioner : If it is likely in my opinion that this person is one who transmits reports?
The Shaykh : Do not speak with him, do not get drawn into conversation with him.
The questioner : Should I advise him?
The Shaykh : Regarding the matter of advice, if you are certain that this man transmits false reports to the responsible authorities, then advise him. But if he transmits authentic reports, nothing is said about him. Because he is a person of trust, so if he is a person of trust, he must transmit authentic reports, adding nothing and omitting nothing. But here are things that some people may think must be transmitted, so they transmit them, while other people see no need to transmit them because they are easy matters and of the kind that usually occur among people.
The Shaykh : The correct stance is that you do not give in to your own self, especially in our time. Be careful.
The questioner : What is the advice?
The Shaykh : If people come to you, say: "We ask Allah for guidance, we seek refuge in Allah from evil, we seek refuge in Allah from trials, and the like of that."
The questioner : If it is likely in my opinion that this person is one who transmits reports?
The Shaykh : Do not speak with him, do not get drawn into conversation with him.
The questioner : Should I advise him?
The Shaykh : Regarding the matter of advice, if you are certain that this man transmits false reports to the responsible authorities, then advise him. But if he transmits authentic reports, nothing is said about him. Because he is a person of trust, so if he is a person of trust, he must transmit authentic reports, adding nothing and omitting nothing. But here are things that some people may think must be transmitted, so they transmit them, while other people see no need to transmit them because they are easy matters and of the kind that usually occur among people.