Haitham al-Haddad – How to react to scandals involving Muslims
AI: Summary ©
The importance of affirming statement and avoiding accusations is emphasized in Islam, along with the need for people to trust their emotions and not give up on accusations. The speakers emphasize the importance of finding facts and verifying information in non-Muslim countries, protecting oneself from harms and abuse, and finding verifiable information in non-Muslim countries. The Sharia Sharia provides guidance on protecting individuals and avoiding dangerous behavior, while also educating individuals on the principles of the Sharia Sharia and the Sharia Sharia to avoid mistakes and mistakes.
AI: Summary ©
From an Islamic perspective, if a sheikh, a
scholar, an unknown person, a Muslim personality is
accused of crimes, even like serious crimes, how
do we go about it?
What's our emotions?
What's our thoughts?
What should our actions be in light of
the Sharia?
Yeah, Jazakallah Khair, very good.
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Alhamdulillah, wa salatu wa salamu ala Rasulullah.
Let me mention certain principles that need to
be applied in such situations.
I'm not talking about a particular incident or
a particular individual.
So this is quite important.
But we need, see, if something like this
happens, the people who should be involved are
the people of knowledge who have the Islamic
background, how to deal with this matter, then
they can customize those principles on certain incidents.
But to jump to talk about certain incidents
without that background, I'm afraid that this will
be, those people will be included in what
Allah condemned in the Qur'an to talk
about something related to Islam and you don't
have, you don't have a proper knowledge about
it.
So even off the bat, that's something, an
Islamic norm that we have to think about,
the fact that you're not even mentioning someone's
name, because...
Exactly.
Yeah, exactly.
This is part of the etiquette.
And let me mention some of the points
that came to my mind regarding such allegations.
First of all, the first important point, my
dear brothers and sisters, we need to know
what does Allah want from us at that
point?
What are the commandments of Allah regarding that?
We all quote what Allah says, يَا أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ عَمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
Don't suggest something that Islam should be this
and that without the proper knowledge.
Allah, jalla wa ala, equated saying something without
knowledge, equated it with grave sins, وَأَن تَقُولُوا
عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ including shirk, to
say something about Shari'ah that you don't
have solid knowledge about it.
So this is the first principle.
We need to know what are the Shari
'ah guidelines.
What does Allah, jalla wa ala, want from
us at that moment?
Okay, this is number one.
Number two, okay, let us, subhanAllah, the seerah
of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is
enough for the guidelines of the entire ummah,
irrespective of space and time, Qur'an and
Sunnah, of course.
And the seerah of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam, is rich with incidents that we
can use them as a reference point in
so many things, political, economical, social, etc.
And also including such things.
We all know, we are aware of the
incident of the insult of Aisha, or the
hadithat al-ifk against Aisha radiallahu ta'ala
anha, the accusations that were thrown by some
of the companions against Aisha radiallahu ta'ala
anha.
Now, Allah, jalla wa ala, mentioned this incident
in surah an-Nur.
And then Allah, jalla wa ala, mentioned in
the beginning certain guidelines, in the beginning of
surah an-Nur, surah an-Anzalnaahu wa fatnaahu
wa anzalna fi ayaatin bayyinat, to lay down
certain principles.
And then Allah, jalla wa ala, started to
speak about hadithat al-ifk directly.
And Allah, jalla wa ala, says, inna ladheena
ja'u bil-ifki usbatun minkum latasabuhu shabar
lakum bal huwa khayru lakum.
Look what Allah, jalla wa ala, said in
the beginning.
walaw la idh sami'atumuhu thanna almu'minuna walmu'minatu
bi anfusihim khayra wa qalu subhanaka hadha ifkun
mubeen.
hadha ifkun mubeen.
What does it mean?
Allah, jalla wa ala, said, had you heard
about it, you should respond.
The first response should be subhanaka.
Sorry.
The first response is thanna almu'minuna walmu'minatu bi
anfusihim khayra.
The believers should think good of themselves.
We should not jump to believe the accusations.
Maybe the accusations are true, but immediately we
who are away from that accusation, we should
not jump and believe in the accusation.
It's like almost like a personality issue as
well.
Some people, I don't know, it's really discomforting
to see some people almost jump to the
opposite.
They would love almost as though they love
to see someone fail or someone.
Exactly.
That's why I see.
But this point which is thanna almu'minuna walmu'minatu
bi anfusihim khayra subhanAllah has deep philosophical and
psychological meanings, which is what?
Put like a psychological and emotional even barrier
between you and the bad news and don't
jump into the bad news and don't as
you said, don't wish as if others have
committed this as if you are celebrating astaghfirullah
that other Muslims committed this a crime.
So you should think goodness of yourself.
And by the way, this although we are
not saying that Muslims don't do that, imams
don't do that, sheikhs don't do that.
No, but the thing that if you make
yourself as a sponge and your mind and
heart like a sponge accept any accusation, you
will have no trust with others.
And that's why now some people are saying
now we should not accept.
We should not trust imams anymore.
We should not trust teachers anymore, etc.
Because they made themselves as a sponge and
they are ready to accept and believe any
accusations and later on they will lose confidence
in themselves and in others because in the
beginning when they see anything that can be
interpreted that it is a mistake, they immediately
think or jump to the evil side of
it.
So this is the second point.
The third point, we all know that in
judiciary, yes, of course Islamic judiciary to start
with and Qadha judiciary in even non-Islamic
systems that the person is innocent until it
is proven or he is or she is
proven guilty.
Now we need to be careful.
Sometimes some stories come out with some graphic,
yeah or graphics and with some emotions and
people they forget this important principle that it
is innocent and less proven guilty and because
of those graphics or maybe those emotional elements
of the story they jump and believe and
they think that by the way, they think
that if you are reminding them with those
principles, they think that you are what defending
the criminals or defending the perpetrators.
We are laying foundations how to deal with
such matters.
Okay.
This is this is a this is go
back to the time of the Prophet.
This is Al-Bayyinat Al-Mudda'i.
Exactly JazakAllah khair.
We enjoy this today as a norm, but
it wasn't always the case, you know in
Western world, for example, yes, it's one of
those things where yes, so Al-Asr Bara
'at Al-Dhimma, Yeah, even the Fuqaha all
the Fuqaha.
They said Al-Asr Bara'at Al-Dhimma.
So this is position is you have no
liabilities.
You're not you know, exactly nothing's expected of
you.
Yeah.
Yeah, and and this principle is applied across
the board in Islamic jurisprudence and in Quba.
Of course, this doesn't mean I will mention
this that you don't take precautions.
Yeah, but we are not talking about taking
precautions.
We will come to that inshallah when we
talk about interaction between both genders.
Okay, number four brothers and sisters.
Yes, as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
said and we all know this hadith.
It is in Arba'inna Allah etc.
That it is part of your Iman, part
of your goodness, part of your good Iman
is what?
Don't involve yourself in something that you are
not doesn't doesn't concern you.
Okay, some people started, you know to dig
in.
Yeah, and to circulate information and to ask
people have you heard of this?
Have you heard of that?
And know the reality is this the real.
If it is not your concern, then leave
it.
Don't circulate it.
It's easier said than done Sheikh.
Exactly.
I mean, we know this like we know
this theoretically, but there's something about you seeing
some kind of news or something people gossiping.
It's like you you feel like investigating more.
Yes.
Why is this?
Why do you need to invest?
Why do you need to invest?
It goes viral on social media and it's
kind of because as we said because it
is not something that you first of all,
you said, what does Allah Jalla wa A
'la, you ask yourself, what does Allah Jalla
wa A'la want from me?
You went with your emotions or with your
desires or maybe some people want more, you
know, more follow-up more likes, etc.
So that's why they started to talk about
or they start to talk about such things.
No, this is very dangerous and brothers and
sisters.
We need to be careful.
Yeah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam clearly
said in Sahih al-Bukhari man satara musliman,
satara hullahu fid dunya wal akhira.
Yes, the one who conceals Muslims.
Yeah or a Muslim Allah Jalla wa A
'la will conceal his mistakes in the dunya
and in the akhira.
And on the other hand, the Prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa alihi wa sallam said that the
one who exposes the awrah of a Muslim
of awrah here includes physical awrah, non-physical
awrah.
Yeah, like their reputation is part of that
Allah Jalla wa A'la will expose his
awrah in dunya or in akhira in one
of the narrations, even if the person is
hiding in his own house.
There was another narration.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam guided the
companion.
He said, why didn't you conceal the mistake
of your brother?
Okay.
So we are saying generally speaking to do
satr, concealing.
Yeah to conceal the false mistakes of others.
This is the asr.
This is the original principle.
This should be the norm of the Muslim
ummah.
Now, I know what you will say.
You will say that what about those perpetrators
who are doing it frequently.
Now those, this is another important principle.
If you know that this person is committing
a crime, yeah, don't just circulate it to
anyone, go to the people of authority who
will handle this matter.
The first thing is go to well-known
imam, scholar who is known.
Yes, who is known to keep things confidentially,
in a confidential way because unfortunately some imams,
they are participating in this gossip and they
cannot keep things in confidentiality.
So you need to go to such wise
people to ask them what to do about
this matter.
Yeah, otherwise, you will be among the people
who are participating in if and look Allah,
you know from Sharia perspective, if a person
sees a person committing zina, okay, clear committing
zina, this person is not allowed and maybe
he will be punished from a Sharia perspective,
a severe punishment if he went around and
he started to what, to just what, accuse
him.
No, no, no, because some people say accuse
is the wrong word.
If he conveyed what he has seen, I
just saw this and that, he will be
punished if the perpetrator or the victim or
anyone, yeah, took him to the court and
this person has been proven that he has
been talking about what he has seen to
people other than the people of authority.
This person will be considered among those who
and this is one of the great sins.
This is one of the big sins and
he will be punished.
Okay.
Now some people will say so what to
do in this case, go to the people
of authority and talk to them.
Now in non-Muslim countries, this includes police,
for example, obviously if somebody is like a
victim.
Yeah, see we are not talking about preventing
a crime.
Yeah, we are not talking about preventing a
crime, after it has already happened or maybe
two people did it consenting something like this.
Yeah.
Okay, so don't go and just talk about
it to others.
I have seen this and that and there
was an incident that Omar Ibn Al-Khattab
was about to flog one of the companions
because he claimed that he saw another companion
committing Zina.
Yeah, so Omar Ibn Al-Khattab or one
of them is one of the Tabi'een,
Omar Ibn Al-Khattab was about to flog
him.
Okay, what to do in this case?
In this case as Allah said So
refer it to Allah and his messenger and
the people of knowledge, the people of authority,
the people of wisdom who know what to
do.
Of course, they might say well, the best
thing is you just go to the police
or maybe take certain precautions, etc, etc.
But my key point is don't go around
and circulate it because you will be participating
in spreading rumors and you are actually committing
a sin, not just a minor sin.
Sheikh, you actually touched on something really important
that's not normal knowledge in the modern day,
particularly in the Western world.
And that is there's a difference between what
happens in reality and what you're allowed to
talk about.
Yeah, I mean you as a person you
might see someone I've known you mentioned this
about for example, married couples if a woman
sees her husband, he's doing kufr or something
or he disbelieves privately.
She's not allowed to necessarily go and tell
people he's a kafir or you know, there's
a difference between what you know like happened
certainly and what you're allowed to speak about
publicly with regards to someone.
Of course, of course.
This is something we don't really normally hear
in the West what you know or what
you have seen you will just enjoy talking
about it to everyone.
We don't have any notion of due process.
Exactly.
You don't differentiate between both.
Okay, and see.
So just what you're saying is regardless of
what the truth is what reality happened in
reality, what you're allowed to say about it
publicly shariah is a different matter altogether.
Exactly.
So what happened reality see that's why I
want to insist that these guidelines these guidelines
we are talking about those guidelines to be
observed even what happened has actually happened.
Yeah, yeah, for argument's sake.
Exactly.
I'm not talking about that.
No, it is a lie.
We are talking about no actually it has
happened but there is an etiquette.
There is an Islamic etiquette to deal with
such matters.
Okay, more than just etiquette like it's a
ruling you could be flogged.
Exactly.
Yes, exactly because because of because of this
and and here okay, which is the next
point the point number six we differentiate between
the person who is concealing his mistakes.
Yeah, and he is doing them in secret
and the person who is publicly openly proud
of his crimes of his indecent actions, etc.
No, these are two different people now, unfortunately
some of our communities they believe that the
person who is doing it in secret.
He is a hypocrite and they say no
is better than it is better than that.
He does these things openly.
No, this is not true.
Yeah, this is not true.
Allah doesn't like indecency to be on public.
Yeah, we are not talking about a hypocrite
hypocrite.
There is a way to deal with the
hypocrite but we are talking about a person
who has committed indecent indecent action a crime
and he is hiding it.
Yeah, how to deal with this?
Okay.
I'm sure but the thing that I was
going to say before was and you preempted
the thing of the question what people have
is okay precautions and stuff and we'll talk
about that.
But in terms of the Asal being set
up or the default position being you conceal
the faults or even crimes of a Muslim
and you don't pay attention to or investigate
those things which don't concern you or your
business.
Some people might think they might be like
the social media where you know, people think
if it's public already.
Yeah, there's public, you know, the newspapers are
talking about if the police have published something
then it's public and everything goes well.
Even in this case don't talk about it.
The more you circulate it the more you
don't talk about it.
And the more you talk about it.
And of course, this is even worse.
This is even worse.
This is even worse brothers and sisters.
I want to say that the honor of
the Muslim is one of the preserved necessities
of the human being and the prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam in Hujjatul Wada'a said
The honor, the reputation, especially the reputation linked
to sexuality.
Yeah, this Sharia gives utmost attention to that.
By the way, okay.
We are not defending anyone.
We are talking about what the guidelines because
brothers and sisters, we don't want you to
commit sins.
And this is my next point that brothers
and sisters.
Yeah, when you talk about the matter, be
careful.
Don't come across as you are looking down
at the perpetrator because of his sin.
Yeah.
Yes.
Okay.
He committed a sin.
What you need to say may Allah protect
us from this sin.
Yes, don't look down at him.
Don't mock him.
Yes, don't gloat over him.
And the delineation for that, a man drank
alcohol at the time of the prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam and they brought him to
the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
They flogged him and the companions participated in
hitting him and then one of the companions
said May Allah disgrace him.
The prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said don't
be a helper of the shaytan against your
brother.
Yeah, moreover moreover brothers and sisters, please please
wallahi I'm advising you from the bottom of
my heart.
Yeah, we are talking about a sinner who
is concealing his sins not who is proud
of his sins.
If a person committed a sin and you
know that this person committed a sin even
if it is an indecent act.
Yeah, don't look down at him.
Yes, don't look down at him.
Don't mock him.
I have so many stories of people confirming
that they committed the same sin because they
mocked someone when he what when he when
he committed a sin and there is a
hadith.
Yeah, there is a hadith.
Although it is a ba'eef hadith.
man ayya ra akhaahu bidhan bin lam yamut
hatta yaqa fee The one who is gloating
over a sin of a brother.
He will not die before committing that sin.
Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah ta'ala spoke a
lot about this and he said maybe the
person who committed the sin, maybe he will
repent to Allah jalla wa ala.
He will feel so sorry for the sin
that he's committed.
Maybe his nafs overpowered him.
Yeah, and maybe Allah will forgive him and
you the one who is proud of yourself,
proud that you are not committing the sins
and you are looking down at him.
Maybe you will be in the sight of
Allah jalla wa ala, you are worse than
the person who committed sin.
Okay, this leads me to the other point.
So what to do?
Okay, what to say?
So a person committed sin, first of all
brothers and sisters brothers and sisters first ask
Allah jalla wa ala to protect you from
this.
Yeah, instead of just jumping and attacking this
person.
How dare he does this?
How dare?
How on earth an Imam will do something
like this?
Ask Allah jalla wa ala to protect you
brothers and sisters.
Our hearts are between two fingers of Ar
-Rahman and they can be turned around.
We have seen so many people who are
people of Dawah of practicing Islam because of
certain things.
Wallahi they left the Deen.
We have to be worried about our Iman
brothers and sisters.
Okay, and we need so this is one
thing.
Ya Allah protect us from this sin.
Ya Allah, Ya Allah conceal our sins.
Ya Allah, Ya Allah cover our mistakes.
Ya Allah pardon us.
Ya Allah don't expose our weaknesses our sins.
This is the attitude my dear brothers and
sisters and then then which as I know
it is hard for some people.
Ask Allah jalla wa ala to make sitter
and conceal the sins of this person is
not good for the Muslim one Muslim leader
or Imam or to be exposed in front
of the world that look and Imam he
has committed this and that and we are
gloating over this and we are just circulating
it that this is not this is not
good.
Okay, say Ya Allah, Ya Allah conceal this
person.
Ya Allah protect this person.
Ya Allah and by the way, we are
not talking about the perpetrator.
We are talking about concealing both.
Yes.
Ya Allah cover them both.
Ya Allah forgive them both because maybe both
of them participated in the sin.
Ya Allah if there is an innocent person
a vulnerable person Ya Allah protect him from
the consequences of what has happened.
This should be our attitude positive attitude rather
than dwelling in something that the Shaitaan will
enjoy talking will enjoy seeing it happen happening
within the Muslim ummah.
Okay, let me so all of the things
that you said I think most people when
it comes to just normal sins quote unquote
normal sins between them and Allah they'll understand.
I mean, there are maybe some people who
just enjoy gossiping and spreading sins anyway, but
like somebody's drinking alcohol that committing Zina even
or you know, all kinds of sins between
them and Allah or even between consenting people
people or it's easier to kind of understand
that but when when there's Zulm potential Zulm
oppression or injustice or allegations of harming individuals
like you mentioned the ayah Allah doesn't like,
you know, Jahra So if somebody is Zulm
if somebody has been oppressed, okay, is that
like just like an open door then so
we okay they can they can talk right
publicly.
Okay, good.
First of all, my dear brothers and sisters
when you hear anything in the news, yeah,
see we know unfortunately that the news now
within you know whether in Muslim countries and
in non-Muslim countries.
They are not what the right sources for
information.
Yeah.
We need to verify and how to verify
in Qada' we learned from Omar Ibn Al
Khattab and others very important principle.
Don't accuse someone before listening to to his
point of view when there are two parties.
Yes, he instructed it clearly.
In fact, he has a statement a very
beautiful statement.
He said if there are two victims one
of them came to you he lost his
eye don't say what look.
Yeah, the other guy pocked his eye.
Maybe this victim who is talking to has
what has taken out both eyes of the
other side.
Yeah, and moreover I can tell you but
I don't want to make this stories.
I can tell you of hundreds of stories
wallahi when you hear one side you will
say what is this you when you hear
the other side.
Oh, no.
Oh, no.
I never knew that the case is like
this particularly the first person you hear that
has exactly the impact emotional impact.
That's why I always say to people if
you know that you are an emotional person
you cannot be a judge.
And you cannot be formally a judge and
don't involve yourself in judging people.
Otherwise, you will commit sins.
Yeah, free yourself from this and at the
end of the day we want to be
bothered about ourselves.
Yeah, let us be bothered about what is
really concerning us on the day of resurrection.
Okay, even your emotions.
I mean even you as a you have
you know, you're in tune with the emotions
as an individual but and we noticed when
you talk about cases you have to like
turn off your emotions.
Exactly.
Yeah, of course, you might come across a
cold of course unempathetic unsympathetic don't even return
salams.
Yes or give salam to people because when
you're in that mode as a judge as
a qadi then you have to be emotionless.
Yes, you have to be exactly see there
and this is by the way you mentioned
a very important point.
Yeah, many people.
Yeah, especially our sisters when they come to
a qadaa setting they have problems with their
husbands.
They are expecting from the qadi or the
neutral person to show empathy to sympathize with
them.
And if he doesn't show this you immediately
feel that they are accusing him.
No empathy, no sympathy, etc.
No here.
It is not a matter of sympathy.
It is a matter of finding the facts
in order to give the right judgment.
Yeah, and that's why even the Prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam said la yaqdil qadi wa
huwa ghazban the qadi and any person who
is in a position of giving judgment.
He should not give a judgment while he
is influenced by anything that will affect his
emotional status.
Okay, whether anger, whether too much love, whether
too much emotions.
Yeah, so he should avoid that he or
she should avoid that.
Another important point here, which is see brothers
and sisters Islamic judgment and Islamic whether the
judgment itself, whether the procedure, whether the accusation,
the whole thing, it has a certain threshold.
The non-Islamic judiciary is far away from
our threshold.
Yeah, as the Islamic qadar.
Now, don't imagine brothers and sisters that if
there is any accusation within the non-Islamic
judiciary that it will stand in the Islamic
judiciary.
Yeah, and don't think that yeah, no facts
were mentioned.
You think that facts Islamic judiciary has its
way to or its ways to investigate to
evaluate what has happened.
So that's one of the questions people have
actually is that okay, imagine somebody is accused
of this crime.
They go to the court in a non
-Muslim country and they found guilty.
Does that mean now?
Okay, they're guilty that Islamically we can say
this person is a you know * or
this or that.
Yeah, this is another point.
I was going to come to that if
we if we are talking about that we
are talking about two different paradigms.
Yeah, so if the person okay, if the
person was, you know, convicted in a non
-Islamic court about something it doesn't mean that
he is a perpetrator with the same thing
in the Islamic court because Islamically you have
to have a higher level of certainty, a
higher level of certainty number one number two
the terms are different.
Okay, like for example in a non-Muslim
court even in difference between civil and criminal
and so forth and employment like tribunals.
Yeah, there are so many judge might say
a balance of probabilities just 1% in
this way.
Okay, you won the case when another the
higher threshold might be beyond reasonable doubt, you
know, but Islamically for example for Zina you
need eyewitnesses.
Yes, for eyewitnesses, which is a very high,
you know, threshold threshold.
Yeah.
Okay, and there are so many things there
are so many things that from the following
follow-up question then Sheikh is okay.
We see that this is Islamically.
There's a high level of certainty and you
know, the scrutiny when it comes to condemning
someone when it comes to convicting someone.
Yeah, because the the Asal the default position
of innocence is too strong to just easily
be overturned and it's it's much more watered
down as easier to convict an innocent person
in non-Muslim country for example, but does
that mean in the absence of this that
this has absolutely no value is there like
an immediate medium like when it comes to
of course the cases cases are different but
we are talking here about the general guidelines
and by the way one one thing that
is really astonishing in one of the incidents
that took place in America that the information
were revealed before even the court hearing.
Yeah, I don't know.
How is that from a judiciary perspective?
Can you reveal certain information allegations that can
destroy person's life?
Yeah before even confirming it through the court.
This is something that shows the difference between
there's Islamic judiciary and non-Islamic one.
Okay, the the I want also to mention
another important point which is there is yeah,
we said that there is a difference between
a crime to happen.
Yeah, and or Zulm that will happen and
something that has happened.
Okay, so of course, we need to take
precautions to prevent the crimes from happening.
We need to take precautions against possible abuse
and Sharia by the way Sharia is very
advanced in this there is no other system
like Sharia.
Yeah from this perspective, which is taking precautions
against possible crimes possible immoral activities possible indecent
activities.
Yeah, so if someone were to say well,
I came to know that there is a
possible crime.
Yeah a possible crime.
So are you telling me that I should
not speak to anyone first of all, we
didn't say that you don't speak to anyone.
We said speak to the people who can
do something the people of authority.
Yeah, just because you're prohibited from spreading it
on social media doesn't mean you shouldn't speak
to the people of authority in charge and
who's able to stop that person or exactly
tell you to go to the police or
whatever.
Yes.
Okay, and with this point I would like
to mention that if what you mentioned that
if there is if there is a Zulm
against anyone.
Yeah, you know that for example, this person
is abusing that person or like children.
Oh, yeah, or if there are allegations involved
children being involved.
So first of all, first of all when
you come to know about this and this
is happening.
I strongly advise that of course, maybe there
are some legal obligations that you go immediately
to the police.
Of course, if there are legal obligations safeguarding
you are in in for example, you are
a civil servant or you are working in
certain jobs like a GP or something you
are obliged by law to refer that to
the police.
We are not talking about that because you
cannot break the law and you cannot put
yourself in in in troubles because of that.
We are not talking about that case, but
let us talk about other cases.
You may be hurt from someone.
Yeah that so-and-so for example, a
wife is claiming that her husband is abusing
her.
First of all, as we said don't circulate
this go to the people of authority in
your community who know what to do.
Yes.
They if they can verify if they can
talk if they can do something we are
not saying that.
Oh, yeah, you just keep quiet and just
watch this abuse taking place.
Yes.
No.
Okay, and in many cases brothers and sisters
we think that this is an abuse but
in reality, okay, we misunderstood things.
Yeah, and I can tell you so many
stories about this possible wrong interpretation of what
we see.
Okay.
So these are some of the guidelines that
I'm saying that generally speaking we need to
to observe them.
Maybe I'll conclude by mentioning because I had
a few incidents where people are, you know
consulting me that we know that there is
a possible I'll tell you something one of
the one of the brothers.
He is a masjid committee member.
Yeah, he called me and he said that
there was an accusation against against one of
the teachers.
Yeah that he is doing something immoral or
indecent with some of the students.
So I said, okay, first of all, first
of all, let us apply those rulings don't
circulate this to everyone.
Yeah, and number one number two don't immediately
believe because there are rumors.
Yeah number three when you want to verify
don't verify as what as as head-to
-head.
So it will be seen as if you
are accusing that person.
Yeah, it is a personal accusation.
What you need to do is to find
maybe at least two of the dignitarians of
the wise people.
Yeah, respected people respected people and they are
known to keep such things confidential.
They are not just talking to anyone.
They don't talk to their spouses Etc.
And then as a team go to that
person and don't start by accusing him.
Yeah, you have done this and that no
come to him and just say we heard.
Yeah of this and that and apply what
Sharia said which is what verify verify.
We heard this.
We want to verify what has happened.
Yeah, and then come across as not an
enemy.
Yeah, no come across as someone who wants
Khair for him and for the institution and
maybe he has committed something maybe by mistake
one of maybe he repented maybe there were
circumstances.
We are not saying that Yanni.
They are innocent and they are angels.
Yeah, and so and take it step by
step and maybe ask him to take certain
measures to help him to stop that that,
you know indecent of that sin.
Yeah.
Now if there is an element of wool
you need to verify with this person you
need to verify with the other person the
victim the victim.
Yes, and if you have the ability to
do that do it if you don't have
the ability to do that with your team
refer it to the Iran Alhamdulillah councils in
some Muslim countries who can verify this we
are not talking about here the legal side
if you have to report it by law
you have to report it by law.
Okay, but if you don't have to report
it and there is something that can be
done before that do it as we have
said if the person is denied and there
are evidences and facts maybe then you need
to take what harsh measures now harsh measures
again, you need to discuss it with people
of knowledge, but in the meantime, even if
it was proven that this person committed this
yeah indecent or immoral act don't expose him.
It's not allowed to expose the person or
to talk to everyone and some people cannot
hold, you know information cannot hold secrets.
You have to talk to everyone about what
has happened.
They enjoy talking about it.
Even some senior people some even senior imams.
They just enjoy talking about this.
So this is this is this is something
that these are a quick guidelines.
By the way, I remember I like this
statement one brother we were talking about something
like this and he said that the problem
is some Muslims when you know, he mentioned
this when one of the figures was accused
of something.
Yeah, he said the problem is some Muslims
when they started to speak about this individual
or that individual they portrayed themselves as Angels.
Yeah, that no way we will do something
like this.
How dare this person has done this.
I mentioned this before and I want to
stress on it that brothers and sisters ask
Allah to protect you from committing sins because
wallahi you don't know you might fall in
sins worse than the sins that you are
accusing others.
You might be accused by someone or you
might be.
Yes, and then you'll yes and then you
will be exposed and then then if that
happened you will you will condemn people blame
people.
Why did you circulate this?
Why did you speak about this?
I have a family.
I have children and I have and everyone
was talking about these accusations without verification.
Yeah, I was going to ask you actually
for your advice to organizations, you know, like
if they're if their employee is accused of
something what they do and you gave some,
you know guidance about okay practically how to
go about doing that and investigating and so
forth, but you know, some people might think
yeah, you know one point before maybe I
didn't make it clear.
It is very unfortunate that organizations when one
of their employees is accused of something like
this they take one of two extremes either
they endorse the employee irrespective of his mistakes.
I'm not talking about you know, sexual related
accusations, but in general accusations either they support
him fully or they abandon him and shun
him immediately.
They disassociate themselves from him.
Both positions are wrong.
Yeah, okay.
He's our employee especially in Dawah if he's
a person who has been doing Dawah for
us Etc.
We need to say that okay, we need
to investigate the matter.
We don't associate disassociate ourselves from him.
If it was proven that he is guilty
of something is still Yeah, he is our
brother, you know in the Quran when Allah
Jalla wa'ala mentioned the insult against Aisha
radiyallahu alaihi wa sallam and her or the
accusations They thought of
themselves.
We are one body.
We cannot disassociate ourselves from a Muslim brother
who is I am saying we are not
talking about a person who is proud and
open about his sins.
No, I'm talking about other people.
So we should say, okay, he made a
mistake and we will put certain measures in
order to prevent this and we will deal
with this matter according to Sharia as simple
as this.
Yeah, but what if somebody says because look
we have this we have an example of
like the Catholic Church, for example, right?
They were covering up allegedly carrying out, you
know, child abuse and that kind of stuff
and it destroyed the reputation people don't trust
them, you know as much as they used
to so some people might think it sounds
nice, you know, protecting people's reputation and so
forth, but aren't you just protecting predators who
might be harming people and abusing children and
them so people might not feel safe in
their in their you know in their masjids
and their organs.
First of all the statement that is said
by someone like this he it means that
he is believing in the accusation and making
it as a fact.
Okay.
This is number one.
That's an interesting thing because I've been quite
disappointed seeing some of the reactions of people
that they unable to fathom the difference between
a claim and reality.
Yes, and that's so this is number one.
We need to we need to differentiate between
an accusation and okay a fact and even
the fact we need to as I said,
we need to validate it according to what
our Sharia guidelines.
Okay.
This is number two number three.
We need to what see what is the
proper Islamic way of dealing with it.
Yes, and as I said both victims and
perpetrators as far as the perpetrator is not
proud of this.
Yeah, and he is not openly, you know,
okay, then both of them are our brothers
and sisters the perpetrator will receive his punishment.
Okay, and the victim needs to receive our
support.
Yeah, the victim needs to receive our support.
But at the end of the day, yes,
they are still our brothers Allah Jalla wa
'Ala says believers are brothers Allah Jalla wa
'Ala also says reconcile between them if they
if two parties of the believers are fighting
then Allah Jalla wa'Ala also says so
if there is a perpetrator fight the perpetrator
stop if one of them oppresses the other
yeah, stop the oppression.
Okay until it comes back to the way
of Allah Jalla wa'Ala when it comes
back to the way of Allah Jalla wa
'Ala this you know this even if you
call him criminal, okay or perpetrator or is
still he is a Muslim brother.
He has rights over us a crime.
Doesn't drop the rights of a Muslim.
Yeah, as far as he is Muslim and
again, he's not proud of his sins and
committing them proudly.
Okay.
So how do what advice do you give
then for okay, if there's an accusation is
there do you just everything business as normal
until there's some kind of thing or no
one said this now if there is an
accusation they should investigate the matter.
No, I mean during the investigation.
Do you just is every for the public
and everything normal or do you take some
measures?
Yeah, temporarily like suspend the person definitely there
would be measures to be taken it depends
on the accusation if the accusation involves one
against someone that has to be stopped immediately
if there are vulnerable people they have to
be protected immediately.
We cannot just let that going.
Okay under investigation doesn't that mean you believe
the allegation?
No, because now there is a possibility of
as we said one or victims.
So we need to take measures to stop
the injustice or stop the violation of the
rights of others.
There is so like just a theoretical preventative
in case it's true you certain things in
place.
Exactly, but what I am saying is that
be careful of spreading the rumors be careful
of circulating the information be careful of believing
that be careful of dealing with either of
them the victim or even the person who
is accused unjustly be careful of going beyond
the Sharia limits.
And again, we are not talking about if
there is a duty of care and you
have to report it to the authorities.
This is something else.
Okay, we are not talking about that.
So in terms of one of the things
you mentioned in passing we said we would
expand on that a bit you said that
the Sharia one of its genius elements is
it prevents things happening in the first place.
So looking at these allegations things like this,
what kinds of lessons do you think we
should?
Okay, so many lessons to be taken.
Okay, but let me start with this.
I remember we had the event and we
had brothers here sisters here and there is
a barrier between them is not the best
because this is the maximum that we can
do.
Believe me two brothers who are involved in
Dawah came to me and they said Sheikh,
why are you putting barriers between brothers and
sisters?
I said why he said what is the
point of that still some brothers and sisters.
They believe that when we talk about Sharia
guidelines, yeah, they say no, these are not
Sharia guidelines.
Yeah, and they believe that we are extreme.
How many times I have met myself I
said, okay to the teachers teachers if you
are constantly teaching sisters, maybe one of can
be overlooked but if you are constantly teaching
sisters avoid yes intermingling with them as much
as you can.
I know that as a teacher you have
to speak to them.
They will you know, come to the office
and but don't go beyond the minimum.
Yeah, and they said Oh Sheikh, come on.
This is too much too strict too conservative.
I said to some brothers don't be careful
your language your style when you speak to
sisters.
You need to be very careful.
Yeah.
Okay, if it happened once off Etc.
Okay.
No, don't be too strict.
Yes.
Don't make it like didn't make it as
a norm.
Yeah, even there are certain guidelines don't for
example, one of your student I said to
so many brothers don't teach sisters online online
even sorry.
I mean Quran don't teach it.
Yes 101 or even even okay don't teach
sisters whereby they will start reading Quran loudly.
Yeah, even online because this will create fitna
and they will they will beautify their voice.
Yeah, I don't want to get into the
technicalities because immediately once we get into the
technicalities they will say but this scholar said
that it this is not Ikhtilaf this is
scholar said that it is allowed this is
scholar said that the voice of the lady
is not Aura.
Yeah, you define Ikhtilaf.
Yeah.
No, I don't want to define Ikhtilaf.
Yes.
I believe that it is some of my
okay free mixing.
Okay by uncontrolled mixing between the both genders.
I don't want to define it because the
minute I define it I am invoking that
technical micro thinking of Sharia and then immediately
the people will think the same way and
we will find some people who counter what
I have said and they would say this
is scholar said this and that and they
would take it openly brothers and sisters Allah
Jalla Allah gave us what guidelines which is
what yeah stopping the fitna.
You know, I thought of you Sheikh the
other day when I was watching this video
about engineers and F1 racing the engineers said
we love constraints because the worst thing for
an engineer is to say just do whatever
you want.
Yeah, if you give them constraints, yeah, he
said we go right up to the edge
exactly because we did not cross so that
we have like a competition to see how
close we can get to the edge while
still staying in the legal boundaries of the
school.
That's why I say the guideline is fear
Allah brothers and sisters and okay be careful
of fitna and what leads to the fitna
as well.
How many times okay, by the way, this
is I know I will say something that
would provoke even especially some people.
Yeah, they always accuse men that oh men
are evil men are perpetrators these brothers these
Imams Etc.
Yeah now what about sisters they are contributing
in this Yeah, some sisters are contributing in
this.
That's why we say yes Allah Jalla wa
'ala said Yes, Allah Jalla wa'ala also
said to the women.
Yeah, Allah Jalla wa'ala said they should
display they should not display their zina.
Yeah, yeah, their adornment anything that beautifies them
sisters when we say to sisters sisters.
Why do you wear makeup in front of
brothers in Islamic courses?
Sisters wear makeup.
Why and many of our shuyukh they don't
want to say to them anything because they
are afraid that sisters will accuse them of
something or sisters will not attend but sisters
please you are coming to attend an Islamic
course one brother told me that some sisters
attending Quran classes wearing makeup.
Why?
Okay, when we say to sisters, yeah, when
you speak to brothers including the teacher don't
be so feminine.
Allah Jalla wa'ala said this don't use
a very soft feminine language.
Otherwise any person who has weakness in his
heart.
He will so everyone has a part to
play in everyone has a part to play
Allah Jalla wa'ala said to sisters even
the way they walk they should not walk
in a way that will attract okay men.
We know we know that men are weak.
We know that brothers including scholars including Imams.
They are not angels.
Yeah, we are not claiming that our Imams
are like the priests.
They have no desires.
That's why when Allah Jalla wa'ala put
these guidelines Sharia guidelines Allah Jalla wa'ala
put them for me you the Imam everyone.
Yes, why people are insisting, you know, one
of the courses is one of the brothers.
Yeah, he attended one of the courses.
He said Wallahi shaykh.
Yeah, Wallahi shaykh.
I don't know how people with me and
the Shabab are attending the course.
We have brothers in front of sisters for
five days.
Yeah, every day we are looking at them
maybe in the first day and this by
the way in one of the conferences a
brother told me in one of the courses
he said in the first day we were
very conservative one sister the second day.
We were less conservative the third day.
We were eating drinking and just okay.
Yeah laughing with each other and some of
the mashayikh are insisting in workshops to have
what brothers and sisters discussing the matter.
Yeah, why why are we doing all of
these things and then when something happens, then
we just go crazy about it.
Of course, we know put don't put fire
next to fuel.
Yeah, otherwise this will happen.
That's why the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said
don't look he said the first glance is
for you, but not the second glance.
Yeah, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam commanded women
to leave before what?
Before men and Allah jalla wa'ala said
They should wear proper non-attractive clothes.
Some sisters are wearing hijab as many brothers
said many brothers said their hijab make them
more attractive than with no hijab.
Yeah, and that's why the scholars have put
so many conditions for the hijab.
It should not be attractive.
It should not be it should not be
thin.
It should not be in a way that
will you know, reflect their bodies Etc.
Etc.
Should not be tight Etc.
So why are why is Sharia putting all
these measures?
Yeah, let alone seclusion.
Yeah, and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said
that if a person is secluded with a
lady with if a man is sitting in
seclusion with a lady the shaitan will be
the third one and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi
wasallam prohibited men visiting their relatives who are
not mahram in the absence of their men.
Yeah, all of these are guidelines and still
so many brothers who run Islamic organizations.
Yeah, they are taking this matter lightly and
actually sometimes they mock us when we tell
them that no brothers be careful.
We need to observe those guidelines.
By the way, many people think that in
Islamic conferences Yani brothers and sisters.
They don't look at each other.
I attended an Islamic conference.
It was not a liberal conference little bit
conservative.
It could be better and look this was
three four months ago.
And one of the brothers came to me
and he said to me here I want
to Yani I want to help from you.
I said, okay, go ahead.
He said that brother that you know, he
is flirting with my sister.
Yeah, can you please tell him not to
flirt with her?
Can you please tell him to stop talking
to her?
I said has he done anything?
He said to be honest with you.
My sister didn't say anything except that he's
coming and making himself nice and just unnecessarily
talking to her and I asking her questions.
Yeah, so I went to that brother and
I spoke to him another young brother another
young brother.
I was sitting with some young brothers.
Imagine imagine in a conference in a Muslim
conference.
Yeah, you have non-married brothers young brothers,
even if they are married, but non-married
young brothers and non-married young sisters.
Are you expecting them to behave like angels?
They might out of embarrassment, but many times
I see at the end of the day
this man is giggling with that lady.
Anyway in that conference what happened?
I just want to see so I came
to one of the brothers.
Yeah, young brother.
I said mashallah.
How are you?
You are not married.
He said no sheikh.
No, I said to him Allah yadik there
are so many sisters here.
Why don't you?
What did he say?
He said sheikh, can you see that sister?
Yeah, I said.
Okay, he said I'm interested in that sister.
Yeah, so I said to him are you
attending a conference or are you attending to
get married?
He said sheikh come on.
You just asked me so I trapped him.
Okay, so this is the reality and this
still there are so many people who are
denying this reality.
It's important to some people might think look
you're overly strict overly conservative or whatever.
But one thing you said years ago.
I always tell people and it's like just
looking at the Sharia from a macro perspective
and that is when Allah hates something really
not a lot like a mate.
He declares it as a major sin.
Yeah, not only that but he surrounds it
by minor sins.
Yeah, like you can't just accidentally fall into
Zina.
You have to go through so many sins
first, but he surrounds that with gray area.
Yes, like you don't know is it can
I sit next to her or can I
sit across there or can you say hello?
Yeah, if you're thinking about these things at
least maybe once you know one of can
be overlooked but at least you're thinking about
and you're guarding yourself in the gray area.
You're less likely to fall into the sin.
Even if you do fall into the sin
you realize you're quite far away from the
comfort zone and let alone going into the
major sin.
So you don't just like those engineers.
You don't just go right up to the
boundary.
Yes, the criteria.
Yeah, you go way far in it.
You're still in the gray zone.
And this is what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam said, There is this gray zone.
It is like the safe zone.
Okay, so keep away from it and and
the person who is just looking at the
technicalities as you said, he will come to
the what to the edge when he comes
to the edge.
He will fall into the haram as the
Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, Like the
shepherd one of definitely one of the sheep
will fall into the prohibited zone.
But Shaykh, do you think that sometimes we
can be overly a bit too strict and
then it makes people a bit overly sensitized
when they do see some woman or they
do a woman does see a man.
They don't know how to act and they
kind of yeah, you know what I mean?
Like overly sensitized to yeah, that can happen
that can happen.
But we need to educate both brothers and
sisters that yes, you need to be careful,
but don't be over sensitized as you said.
Yeah, don't be over.
No because we mix with the opposite gender
everywhere.
We need to be careful.
But see the problem is the constant mixing
with certain.
Yeah, that is likely the leading to the
fitrah and okay.
I would like to say one more thing
brothers and sisters, please please please brother or
a sister don't don't trust yourself with the
opposite gender.
I'm not saying just be over sensitized or
over scale, but don't say no I am
safe because the Shaitaan as the Prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam said is there all the
time and wants to create a fitrah.
So don't say no, no, no.
They say people overestimate their ability to restrain
themselves.
Exactly.
And they over trust themselves in front of
the opposite gender even even brothers and sisters
if you do that and maybe no one
maybe you are maybe old enough or you
don't have that desire or you are doing
it, but other people can easily accuse you.
Yeah, and then you will be what in
a big trouble.
Okay, so you don't need to do that.
So we need to take these measures in
order to protect our organizations our Dawah our
individuals our Imams Etc.
Took a lot of your time, but hopefully
it was very useful to the people watching.
So Jazakumullahu khairan for your time.
We spoke about what people could do individually,
but it's about the general principles of the
Sharia in terms of you know, the etiquettes
what we need to do and when we
see accusations and also practically for organizations what
to do and also if someone's a victim
if they've been or they've seen a witness
themselves some kind of sin or criminal activity
going on some practical steps for what they
can do an investigation So please don't forget
to make Dua for the victims for the
accused people for yourself ask Allah to protect
you from the fitan.
Yeah, may Allah protect everyone and conceal our
mistakes conceal the mistakes of others and Jazakumullahu
khairan to you for watching.
If you like this podcast give it a
like and share normally I would say get
involved in the comments.
Let us know what you think but be
careful when you comment as the Sheikh said
everything we type just like things that we
say will be held accountable for it.
So let's keep it.
Let's think before we comment not just here
but anywhere else about any accusation and the
rights of anyone else may Allah protect us
and you I mean Jazakumullahu khairan until next
time Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu