Sunan Abī Dāwūd Ḥadīth [4888]

“If you falsely accuse people and publicly announce them as probably guilty of offenses, that makes them do what they are accused of and they become corrupted.” Being cheerful to people rejects falsely accusing them and spreading evil about them while they are actually innocent.

• Reference: [248 (1/174-175), Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Dakwah Corner Publications (Eng)]

These aḥādīth are among the aḥādīth highlighting the prohibition of spying on one’s Muslim brothers. He should not seek their secrets; rather, he should relate with them according to what is apparent from their lives. As for that which is not apparent, it is not permissible for a Muslim to spy or probe into other people’s lives as contained in the ḥadīth of of Mu’āwiyah (may Allāh be pleased with him) that a person who finds faults with Muslims will corrupt them or bring them close to destruction. This is because most matters are between a slave and his Lord, with the knowledge of no one. If none has found out some of those secrets, the veil of Allāh – the Mighty and Sublime – will remain on them and the person may be able to repent to his Lord – the Mighty and Sublime, and improve his condition. Thus, no one would have discovered his secrets.

However, when a person, refuge is with Allāh, seeks the faults of others by snooping, he will began to spy whenever a secret is mentioned to him. He may go about it in clear terms or employ cunning means by saying, for instance, ‘They said so-and-so said such-and-such,’ or ‘He did this-and-that.’ Thus, he will begin to spread the person’s defects in the presence of the people, refuge is with Allāh.

It is reported in a ḥadīth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “O assembly of those who believe with their tongue with no faith in their hearts! You should not harm the Muslims and do not seek for their secrets. Whoever looks for the secrets of his brother, Allāh will look for his secrets. And whoever Allāh looks for his secrets will be exposed by Him even if he is in his house.” [Sunan Abī Dāwūd (4880), Musnad Aḥmad (19776 & 19801), and others.]

Allāh will look for the faults of the one who looks for other people’s fault in order to expose them, we ask Allāh for well-being. Walls and curtains will not be of any benefit for such person.

• Reference: [1571-1572 (6/293-294), Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn, Dārussalām (Eng)]

If a Muslim looks for the defects of another and hunts for his weaknesses, other Muslims will also adopt the same attitude towards him, and this situation will create dissension and conflict in society. This also will make them fall prey to sins and make them persistent in committing them. For this reason, spying and finding faults with Muslims has been prohibited by Sharī’ah.

• Reference: [1571 (2/1175), Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn, Dārussalām (Eng)]

• Musnad Abī Ya’lā (7389 (1/2019))
• Musnad Shāmīn (473 (1/272))
• Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb (2342 (2/589))
• Ṣaḥīḥ ibn Ḥibbān (5760 (13/72-73))
• Ṣaḥīḥ Mawārid aẓ-Ẓamān (1249 (2/59))
• Bayhayqī’s Sunan al-Kubrā (17623 (8/578))
• Shu’ab al-Īmān (9212 (12/159-160))
• Al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr (890 (19/379))
• Sharḥ as-Sunnah (13/106)
• Ḥilyatul Awliyā’ (6/117)
• Kanzul ‘Ummāl (14356 (5/776))
• Kanzul ‘Ummāl (14639 (6/16))
• Kanzul ‘Ummāl (14784 (6/46))
• Al-Ādāb ash-Shar’īyah (1/300)
• Al-Adab al-Mufrad (248 (1/93))
• Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ (3709)
• Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn (1571)
• Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi’ (2295 (1/455))
• Ghāyatul Marām (424 (1/242))

Grade:

• Ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh al-Albānī (Sunan Abī Dawūd, Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi’, Ṣaḥīḥ Mawārid aẓ-Ẓamān & Ghāyatul Marām)
• Ṣaḥīḥ by Ḥāfiẓ Zubayr ʿAlī Za’ī (Sunan Abī Dāwūd & Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ)
• Ṣaḥīḥ isnād by Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ṣaḥīḥ ibn Ḥibbān & al-Ādāb ash-Shar’īyah)