The Ruling on Continuing a Dispute
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The last question in this questioner’s letter, in which he did not mention his name, says: If a person is in a dispute with another person, and this dispute may last for a long period, is there a sin on him for that, knowing that it is better to leave some people than to speak with them? Please guide us in this matter.
Answer:
A dispute involves a distinction: If it is a dispute based on truth, a dispute between them regarding claims in which he believes he is correct, then there is no blame on him if he disputes with him. He says: He has delayed my right. He owes me a debt and has delayed it while he is wealthy. He disputes with him because he sold him goods and did not give them to him. He disputes with him because he hit him, because he insulted him, because he took his money, and so on.
That is to say: If he disputes with him based on truth, he must be just, he must fear Allah, and he must dispute based on truth without oppression. He seeks his right without oppressing the other party. He seeks his right in the court, or with the good brothers who reconcile between them, and there is no blame on him in that.
As for if he disputes without right, knowing that he is in the wrong, then this is an evil, and there is danger for him in that; because he is harming his brother without right.
The obligatory thing for the Muslim is not to dispute except based on truth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2668 So disputing without right is harm and oppression. But if he disputes based on truth, knowing that he is in the right, and that this man took his money, or delayed his right while he is wealthy, or killed his son, or killed his brother, or other such rights, then there is nothing wrong with it. He demands his right. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Bulugh al-Maram 1423 Yes.
The last question in this questioner’s letter, in which he did not mention his name, says: If a person is in a dispute with another person, and this dispute may last for a long period, is there a sin on him for that, knowing that it is better to leave some people than to speak with them? Please guide us in this matter.
Answer:
A dispute involves a distinction: If it is a dispute based on truth, a dispute between them regarding claims in which he believes he is correct, then there is no blame on him if he disputes with him. He says: He has delayed my right. He owes me a debt and has delayed it while he is wealthy. He disputes with him because he sold him goods and did not give them to him. He disputes with him because he hit him, because he insulted him, because he took his money, and so on.
That is to say: If he disputes with him based on truth, he must be just, he must fear Allah, and he must dispute based on truth without oppression. He seeks his right without oppressing the other party. He seeks his right in the court, or with the good brothers who reconcile between them, and there is no blame on him in that.
As for if he disputes without right, knowing that he is in the wrong, then this is an evil, and there is danger for him in that; because he is harming his brother without right.
The obligatory thing for the Muslim is not to dispute except based on truth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The most despicable amongst persons in the eye of Allah is one who tries to fall into dispute with others
أبغض الرجال إلى الله الألد الخصمNarrated Ibn 'Abbas (RA): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If people were given whatever they claimed (in disputes), some people would claim the lives and wealth of others; but the oath (of denial) must be taken by the defendant." [Agreed upon]. al-Baihaqi has reported with a Sahih (authentic) chain of narrators: "But the proof (Bayyinah) lies on the one who is making the claim, and the other (Yamin) must be taken by the one who rejects the claim."
لو يعطى الناس بدعواهم؛ لادعى ناس دماء رجال وأموالهم، ولكن البينة على المدعي، واليمين على من أنكر
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.