Why Insulting is Forbidden Even When It's True
Islamic Etiquette: Prohibitions in Speech and Conduct from Zadul-Ma'ad
Summary
This lecture from Zadul-Ma'ad (Provisions for the Hereafter) Part 93 explores Islamic rulings on speech and conduct, particularly focusing on prohibited behaviors. Sh. Ali Mashhour distinguishes between hadith (narrations) and sunnah (religious practices to follow), using examples from the Prophet's life. The main content covers major sins related to speech including insulting and backbiting Muslims, whispering secrets in front of others, describing women's physical features, excessive swearing by Allah's name, and unnecessary detailed descriptions of private bodily functions. Sh. Ali Mashhour emphasizes that such behaviors cause harm, remove dignity, and contradict Islamic values of respect and modesty. The lecture includes cultural critiques of modern media that openly displays bodily functions and menstruation in commercials as violations of Islamic standards of privacy and decorum.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
What is that distinction? every sunnah is a hadith But not every hadith is a sunnah. Right? So when we look at Hadith We see that the prophet many things have been narrated to us. I mean, the companions meticulously documented and noticed every little thing about the prophet religious things, things that have to do with revelation and things that don't necessarily have to do with revelation. Such as what he liked to eat, certain dishes that he likes specifically. the companions narrated that the prophet favorite cut from a sheep is the shoulder. This is the shoulder. Is that a religious sunnah? Not necessarily. That's something that's of preference. If a person came along and said, well, I prefer the tongue or I prefer some other part with this person be disregarding the sunnah if that was not his favorite part. The answer is no. This is a natural thing. This is what the scholars referred to as Umur Jubilee. and these things have their own ruling However, the prophet was also narrated to have commanded that an animal be slaughtered in such a way and that said and so forth. That's a religious aspect. and so The companions they narrated everything that they saw from the prophet said, everything. Narrates the amount of white hairs that were in his beard and head. Before his death. Now, this isn't necessarily a sunnah. This is a hadith, right? It's a hadith. It's a narration. the is what the prophet said or did or acknowledged with the intention that Allah be worshiped through this these means in this way. This is the way that he worshiped Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. This is the sunnah. And so in that, there are many things. There are some things that are abrogated. There are some things which he did before and didn't do later. There are things that he did later that were not intentional as to be followed. There were things that he did in private, that were personal things. There were things that he did in public, etcetera. And so, distinguishing between a hadith and a sunnah can be somewhat of a cumbersome task at times. this book is essentially taking all of the hadith and the narrations and documenting the of the prophet for the most part. We are in the chapter regarding things that the prophet prohibited or disliked or discouraged be said. Or things that someone may do in ways of speech. Whether that be things that people say or things the way people say things etcetera. Allah he says Muslim. Muslim.
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Times people confuse, insulting with vulgarity. It doesn't have to be vulgar. It doesn't, you don't have to use bad words for it to be considered insulting Insulting is saying or implying anything that articulates disrespect that are that you mean to demean the person that you are insulting. This could be in any speaking about someone's parent or father or tribe. It could be speaking about someone's country speaking about someone's origins, speaking about someone's children, right? not in the sense of admonishment and that has its that has its it's care that needs to be taken but in the sense of meaning to dispute that person. Meaning to insult them. Meaning to demean that person. This could be anything that is in their hand or outside of their hand. insulting their race, insulting their complexion, insult their features. Saying someone is an ugly person or something of that sort. It could also be in the sense of this person has no man. You have no manners. You are this, that, any, anything that a person says or implies to another person that is demeaning. And you mean to demean that person. This is insulting. Even if you don't use bad words. If you use bad words, it becomes worse obviously. If you do this to someone who is absent. This is backbiting. If you do it to someone who is present, then this is, this is insulting. Oftentimes, when someone backbites another person, speaks about them in their absence. if you admonish them and say, you know, don't speak about the brother. He's not even here to defend himself. Something that What will the person usually respond immediately? So, imagine this with me. Let's say, you're speaking of, you know, someone's speaking about another person. And we say to him, hey man, don't say that about him. What do they usually respond with? I'll say it in his face. there's another one too that I'm looking for I said man, don't say that about him. he'll say well it's true, right? So those are the two things usually people say. Either they'll say, it's true or I'll say it to him in his face, right? Well, that's even worse, right? the fact that you're willing to insult someone to their face is not a merit and is not something that justifies Rebel. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says Has been explained by some of the as one who insults people in their absence and in their presence. That's home as a right? And it's also said that Al Humaza is one who insults a who who speaks ill about another or insults a person. Verbally with a gesture, right? Whethe r that be with by gesture or by way, you know, winking or something with their hands or using their words. So, this statement of, I'll say it to his face. I've said it to him before. You know, things like that that people usually say to defend their actions. This is not justified and just justification. This is something which is which is haram. And in a person's absence, it's bad. But in a person's presence, it's worse, arguably. Why? because now you are causing direct enmity between yourself and this individual. Interestingly enough, psychologically speaking most people when they speak about another person the listener usually attributes those traits to the person speaking. Subconsciously. So, psychologists have kind of done some research and this is this is obviously not why we obey the prophet. We don't obey him because Scientists say that it's correct. We don't wait for their you know, their approval rather it's the other way around but it's just something that is to be mentioned and that is that they found that when a person speaks about another person, so let's say, a person comes to you and says, you know, this other person, he's this, he's that, right? He's he's a liar or he's ugly, right? What they noticed is that most times the listener on the subconscious level usually comes to affirm what this person said about the other, affirm it for that person who's speaking. So, if you go and tell if if a person goes and tells, you know, he's a very ugly person. The listener usually will describe ugliness to the person speaking. It's not a conscious thing. It's just something that usually happens. The point is, is that you know, people who backbite, people who are insulting, it's not permissible to listen to that but just keep in mind that people that have two faces were three or four you're not special. They're not telling you this because the other person is is is bad and you're good. They're telling you this because you're willing to listen. And in your absence they're probably saying all kinds of things about you as well. That's usually how it goes with people of that fabric. So the point is is that insulting a Muslim is a major sin. And it is something which is impermissible in Islam. The more that person is reputable, the more influential that person is on the religion of Allah or the Muslims, the more serious that offense becomes. So, in insulting or backbiting, a Muslim is a major sin backbiting a a scholar. Or someone who is influential to the Muslims, someone who's influential to Islam. It becomes worse because now, you're not just bringing that persons down but you're bringing whatever that person represents down as well and you are causing misgivings. About that person and what they represent in the heart of the listener. He says, why not? Another thing which is impermissible. Is that two people if there's a group of three that two of them pass secrets between one another in the presence of the third. Meaning that they whisper to each other something that they don't want the other person to hear. This is something which is haram. It's mentioned in the Quran. And the reason for this is that it causes the other person to have suspicions about what you're speaking about. And it causes them at least to feel left out. Right? and this is something which is impermissible. Anything that will make a Muslim sad, if it is not absolutely necessary, is not permissible. That is just a general, a general rule. He says, and we covered a lot of these last week. Another thing which is impermissible is that a woman described to her husband another woman's features. Another woman's features. This is something which is impermissible. and that is that a woman's features whatever she conceals under her hijab is considered to be a it's considered to be something which is essentially her secret and when you describe what you've seen of that person to another, this becomes haram and obviously, this is even worse. You know, not just a woman describing another woman to her husband but that's what the narration exactly says. What we can derive from this any kind of description that removes or penetrates the veil of another woman, right? or another man. A woman may describe to her friends private aspects of her husband or of a man that she was with before or a man may which is Of course, abhorred a woman may describe to another something private about her husband or her previous husband or a man may describe his sister or someone of his family to another man. Any kind of description in this way is haram. He mentioned that a woman described the features of another woman to her husband. Why did he say it that way? Because that's exactly what the narration said. That's most common, most commonly, a woman will go, she'll be at a gathering with other women, she'll see them without hijab, and in her banter with her husband, she'll describe the features of that woman to her husband. This is something which is haram, but anything in that vein is impermissible. Another is and **** Is that a person in his dua say, oh Allah, forgive me if you choose to or if you will. This is something that we discussed in detail last week. Another is that a person swear by Allah too much constantly. I swear by Allah, I swear by Allah, Allah, he will Allah he this is something that you know it it's kind of demeans Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's the gravity of Allah's name in the heart of the listener and the person who is swearing. The Another thing which is discouraged. Something that is. impermissible is to describe things in detail that should only be referred to in passing, right? And this happens a lot Especially in our language, in English, and the way that our idioms are set up and the way that our Words are are and the way that the culture is because the culture of the people is what forms the language. and so there are things that people will say that are unnecessary. for instance, a person and you know, it's it's especially bad when it's when it's a female speaking to a male or other females. But it's it's not it's equally as it's it's not appropriate for both genders. But a woman has an elegance about her. She has a kind of mystique of beauty about her. And if she does or says things that removes that veil it becomes even she's making herself kind of in the listener's mind and that becomes somehow worse than someone whom that is not his hallmark. So, for instance, a person instead of saying, I'd to use the restroom. They say, you know, I have to go do this or do that in the restroom and describe the kind of bowel movement or the kind of urination that they're going to have. This is unnecessary. This is not something that should be said. Person just I really have to go to the bathroom. That's enough. Right? To say I need to go do this in the bathroom. That's inappropriate. Right? Or for instance if a woman is on her cycle. You know she says. you know, I'm on I'm on my cycle or something of that nature. That's fine. But to say other things that are more detailed. That's inappropriate. And this this culture here that we're in right now. This is exactly the kind of stuff that they're trying to get rid of. You know. We have commercials. Right? About things that are very a good example of this is how often do you see pictures or commercials of a man or even worse a woman sitting on the toilet, right? So, all the time. It's unnecessary. We don't need to see that. its demeaning and it's disgusting. It's something that happens in private. The prophet when he would use the restroom, when he would relieve himself, he would go so far out that you couldn't even see his whole body while he was using the restroom and we discussed this in previous chapters. That a person must conceal his private parts when he uses the restroom and is encouraged to conceal his whole body when he's using the rest right? And is encouraged. He conceal his whole body while he's using the restroom. Because you don't want people to see you in that light. Yes, it's something that we all do. Yes, it's something that is common and we all use the restroom. But it doesn't mean we need to speak about it. It doesn't need mean we need to talk about it or demonstrate it to one another. Right? so now we have commercials with you know commercials or movies or what have you. People, you know, sitting on the toilet to use in the bathroom or you know, a part in a movie will come up where the person is using the bathroom and show us and give us sound and give us, this is just unnecessary vulgarity, right? we have commercials about We have commercials about menstruation. You know, whether it be pads or something that for menstruation and then we have women standing there describing to us in detail how this menstruation takes place and what it's like and how it should be and then we say, oh this is liberating. You know, it's liberating women when they speak about these things. This is just disgusting vulgarity. It doesn't need to be spoken about, right? these are things that the human body does that you keep to yourself, right? you know, and the examples of this are many. you know, men describing certain things about themselves or describing certain things about their acts or the extreme intense hyper sexualized vulgarity that goes on where people describe their intimate details of how they do what with who. These are all things which are impermissible and a person should never speak about in public.
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Another thing which is impermissible is to refer to impermissible taxation as rights. What is he talking about? So is when and sometimes people misunderstand taxation. There are couple types of taxation. There is taxation that is absolutely haram. And this is what is referred to as El Mukuz. Taxation which is absolutely haram is a king or how it used to be which is kind of one of the ways that or how we're taught that America was initially established and that is that they were fleeing from the taxation of the British, right? So, they came over here and the king would send every year for taxes to be taken from the citizen reliving here but they don't receive anything in in return for this taxation. It's just the king's right on his people is that he taxed them, right? They don't receive anything in return. This is what is referred to as El Mukus in the legisl ation of Islam. This is haram. And noone has the right to collect. And noone has the right to take these. Right? Then we have other types of taxation. I can't say all the taxation that happens in America is this but much of it is taxes that we pay that usually come back to us in some way. Whether it be pave the roads or hospitals or police, access to police, or access to fire, access to search and rescue, things that, right? This is a type of taxation but it's not considered mukus. And the legislation of Islam. Because it's not just something which is taken with no return. It's taken for a common good of the rest of everyone in the in the state, in the country, in the community, and there has to be a level of socialism for a community to thrive properly and notice I didn't say socialism. I said a level of socialism. There has to be a level of us all getting together and pulling our resources together for everyone to have a fair at essentials. That that is fine. absolute socialism communism and stuff that. That's obviously has nothing to do with Islamic values. but one of the things is that these kinds of tax, this kind of taxation which is haram taxation that we mentioned the first type. For this to be referred to as the rights of the king or the responsibility of the citizens. That is as haram to refer to something that in that way. Cuz it's it's manipulating the truth. This isn't the right of the king. It's not the responsibility of the citizens. Right? Another example of that is Ribba. To refer to Riba as right? Or interest. It's usury. It's not interest. Interest is giving something that is very terrible of a nice name. It's not interest. It's usury. And it's called usury in the English language for a reason because you are using another person. You're using his his bad set of circumstances, your your you are capitalizing on another person's misfortune to better align your pockets. It's called usury and that's a bad name. And that's good. Cuz that's what it needs to be called. When we call it things interest, it becomes business strategy, right? the same thing happens in Arabic. people refer to it as and this is direct translation of the word interest. Scholars have prohibited using this this language to describe it. It should be referred to as Ribba. because it is haram and that's what is referred to in the Quran and when you change the name of something, you change its ruling. When you change its name, you change. You change its ruling, right? Another example of that is referring to as fees. You know, we can flip it around and say, well, you know, it's just a fee. Whatever kind of feed that is. That's another way that a Shaitan uses to manipulate the truth, to change its ruling. A Shaitan was the first to do this and recorded history in the Quran. When he referred to the tree, that Adam was urged to eat from and prohibited by Allah, he referred to it as Shaja The everlasting, the tree of of eternity, the eternal tree, or a dominion that will never diminish, right? That's giving a very nice sounding name to something that's very terrible. the narrates to us and others that the prophet said and elsewhere That a group of consider intoxicants permissible and they will do so by changing the name instead of calling it an intoxicant, instead of calling it poison, they'll refer to it with fancy names that spark an air of delight in the listener's mind. This is something which is haram and it's a type of lying. It's a type of dishonesty. A person when he speaks, he needs to name good things with good names and bad things with bad names. Not vulgar names but names that articulate the truth about this thing. I will Another thing which is impermissible is to refer. Now, we spoke about money that is haram referring to it or that is spent in haram referring to it with a good name. I get calling usury interest or calling illegal taxation, you know, rights or or responsibilities. On the other side, it's how long to refer to money that is spent on good things with bad names. So, to say for instance, that you gave in charity this much where you spent this on someone. You say, you know, I lost that money this year, right? I lost this and this money. That money was not lost. It's not considered a loss. Only those who disbelieve in Allah in the last day, consider charity to be a loss. Only those who believe, who who disbelieve in Allah in the last day, consider charity to be a loss. Charity is a gain. It's the only real gain actually. Right? Because all of your wealth is going to stay here on Earth and you're going to depart from it except for that wealth that you spend for the sake of Allah and then find with Allah after your death. That's the only real wealth that you get to keep. Every other wealth is going to stay here on earth. Either be someone else's or you're going to you know, consume that wealth here on this earth. Another thing which is impermissible and you know, each of these statements, each of these sentences, honestly, you could write an essay on. These are actually very deep subjects and they deserve more time but in the in the interest of time and in the interest of continuity, we'd to keep a particular flow going. Otherwise, every one of these statements that he's making, there are narrations and entire essays have been written written on each of these issues. Another thing is to say to say in this, you know, I've spent so much money in this world. kind of boasting about the amount of money that you've spent on your home or this or that. Whatever it is. this is something which is as well impermissible. Fema the.