The ruling on insulting with terms like "you dog" and "you donkey" and the like
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Question:
Strange words and terms that are not part of our Islamic creed often slip off some tongues. Among these terms are "donkey" and "dog," and other words that our Islamic Shari'ah does not approve of. What is your opinion, may Allah reward you, regarding these terms? May Allah grant success.
Answer:
There is no doubt that such terms are not befitting for a believer with his brother. Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), says: [Surat al-Hujurat: 11].
The meaning of[Al-Hujurat 49:11] is: let none of you say to another, "you donkey," "you cat," "you dog," "you vulture," "you pig," "you so-and-so," "you so-and-so." No, he should address him with the best of words, with his best name and his most pleasant name. Because addressing someone with these ugly titles stirs up hatred, enmity, and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and inflames hearts, and it may lead to fighting and beating.
Therefore, it is not permissible to insult one another with titles, just as it is not permissible to belittle:[Al-Hujurat 49:11]. Belittling is backbiting and gossiping, saying "you so-and-so," and hinting at things to criticize him with, such as "you do such-and-such" and "you do such-and-such," from things he dislikes, like being stingy or a spy, and so on. That is, accusing him of things he is innocent of, or things that are not known about him.
Therefore, it is obligatory to guard the tongue and not to belittle with anything that wounds your brother, whether it is any word that wounds him, faults him, or inflames his chest, in accordance with His saying, (Glorified and Exalted is He):[Al-Hujurat 49:11]. Belittling may also be done by pointing with a finger, or with the eye, or by other means. Therefore, belittling is not permissible, neither by gesture, nor by speech, nor by action. It is also not permissible to insult one another with titles, as the questioner asked.
Strange words and terms that are not part of our Islamic creed often slip off some tongues. Among these terms are "donkey" and "dog," and other words that our Islamic Shari'ah does not approve of. What is your opinion, may Allah reward you, regarding these terms? May Allah grant success.
Answer:
There is no doubt that such terms are not befitting for a believer with his brother. Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), says:
O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَThe meaning of
and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames
وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِTherefore, it is not permissible to insult one another with titles, just as it is not permissible to belittle:
And do not insult one another
وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْTherefore, it is obligatory to guard the tongue and not to belittle with anything that wounds your brother, whether it is any word that wounds him, faults him, or inflames his chest, in accordance with His saying, (Glorified and Exalted is He):
And do not insult one another
وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.