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One of the sicknesses that has swept into the Muslim community is that of communicating things that cause damage with the justification that it is only promotion of the truth. This is especially true in cases where there is a difference among Muslim scholars with regards to interpretation of Islamic laws. Here is the path of our pious predecessors with regards to observing silence, even when something is the truth, to avoid greater harm: Abu Hurairah radhiallahu anhu had kept hidden certain Hadith so that there would be no mischief amongst people. He refrained from narrating them so that people would not be divided again after they were brought together by Muawiyah radhiallahu anhu. (Bukhari 3:121)
Issue 87
Igniting the Spirit of Islam
Ibn Masood radhiallahu anhu said, ‘You might narrate to a group of people a narration, which will not be understood by their mind and it will be a Fitnah for some of them.’ (Muslim) People might not correctly understand all the talk of the speaker. They might hear something which their minds do not comprehend and then base upon it their attitudes, actions or statements which will not lead to good results. Hasan Basri rahimahullah did not like Anas radhiallahu anhu relating to Hajjaj ibn Yusuf certain narrations as Hajjaj the tyrant would misinterpret these Hadith as proof for his blood-shed. A similar attitude has been recorded from Huzaifa radhiallahu anhu, Imam Ahmed, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Malik rahimahumullah. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi
Islamic Focus
Mar 2011
wa sallam said to Aisha radhiallahu anha: ‘Were it not that your people are still new in Islam, I would have demolished the Kabah and rebuilt it on the foundations of Ibrahim.’ The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam feared that those from the Quraysh who had recently accepted Islam might misunderstand this action so he left it out. Imam Bukhari established a chapter based on this Hadith and called it, ‘Those who abandon something fearing that it will not be understood by people and as a result (they) will fall into something worse.’ The truth is explained by the scholars of AhlusSunnah wal-Jama'ah. If you have an understanding, present it to them; if they accept, it is good. If they do not accept, then you have fulfilled your responsibility and do not have to talk about it in public, thereby causing more mischief.