Author: Adilah Abdirahman

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,” Whoever conceals a Muslim , Allah will conceal him on the Day of Judgment.”
Collected by Muslim 2699
Ponder over this statement for a moment. Allah promises us refuge on that Day when our deeds will be called into account. We say that we’re too busy worrying about our faults to pick at others, but is this necessarily true? A recurring dilemma not only facing our Ummah, but more so our Muslim youth, is that of exposing the faults of our dear brothers and sisters in Islaam. This deen is beautiful and pure, but we corrupt it with our tongues.

How many of us walk into a place of worship on the lookout for faults? Going in, feeling all nice -
Fresh thobe/hijab? Check. ✔
Jumu’ah swag? Check. ✔
Intention? Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon. ✘

Or the brothers and sisters who listen just a little too hard to you to catch you slipping instead of helping you get back up. We often find ourselves getting caught up in,
“hey, did you see what Sr. Aisha did today?”
or
“br. Khalid said…”

We become careless with words that are light upon the tongue and heavy upon the scales. On a Day when we will be left utterly exposed and left without anyone except the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to intercede for us except by Allah’s command – what will have you have left to say to your Lord?

Ya Allah, I just didn’t like my fellow believer? I didn’t like his/her actions, so I exposed them to the people?

To concern yourself with the shortcomings of others is an action of no benefit in this life or the hereafter. Not only will it hurt the person whom you’re defaming, but those around you and ultimately yourself as well.
The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “Do not hurt the feelings of the servants of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) ; do not embarrass them; do not seek to expose their faults. Whoever seeks to expose the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) will seek to expose his faults and expose him, even if he hides in the innermost part of his home.”
Reported with a hasan isnad by Ahmad, 5/279.
The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallaam) had the best akhlaaq. We as his ummah are encouraged to strive to emanate his beautiful character as described in the Sunnah. We’re susceptible to mistakes, but the moment your brother or sister makes a mistake is when you should seek to correct them in the best manner. And if you can’t even do that, to make excuses for them and give them the benefit of the doubt. Not one or five excuses, but at least 70. Allah loves those who conceal the sins of others. If you’re not content with what a person has done or said to you, backbiting will only benefit the person you’re calling out because he/she is receiving your good deeds. The minute you begin scrutinizing others in order to humiliate or expose them is the minute you leave your imaan at the door.
Where has sincere advice for the sake of Allah gone?
The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said (three times): “The Deen is naseehah (sincerity and sincere advice).” We said: To whom? He said: “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger and to the leaders of the Muslims and the general people.”
Sahih Muslim (no.55).
If you’re seeking to rectify a person’s mistake, you do so in a wise manner which benefits them. To judge and to slander another is something that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam) despised. We preach Qur’an and Sunnah, but do we live it? We pray, but do the verses penetrate our hearts? If they did, we would fear displeasing Allah subhana wa ta’alaa and guard our tongues. On a Day where you will be too preoccupied with yourself exclaiming, “Nafsi, Nafsi (myself, myself)” fleeing from everyone that you know including your family – why is that you have so much time for other people in this dunya? Check yourselves before you get checked by Allah the Most High.
This is a reminder to myself first and foremost. May Allah protect us from the evil of our own selves and forgive us for our shortcomings.