84 - Steering away from causing harm

1. A true Muslim is one who does no harm to other people. Thus, Muslims are safe from any verbal or physical harm from other Muslims. God states a strong warning to those who try to harm believers.

This hadith does not mean that a person who harms Muslims takes himself out of Islam altogether, but it means that the true and perfect image of Islam does not apply to him completely. To keep other Muslims safe from verbal and physical harm is a duty incumbent on all Muslims. Delivering them such hurt is forbidden.

Harm is not only caused by tongue and hand; other organs of the body may also cause harm, but these two are used most often in causing harm. The tongue is used in backbiting, abusive language, false statements and accusations, etc. while the hand is used in causing physical harm, stealing and killing.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the tongue first because it can be more offensive and it is easier to use in causing harm to other people. Besides, it can affect both deceased and living people. Mu‘ādh asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): ‘Messenger of God, are we held to account for what we say?’ The Prophet answered: ‘Are people thrown in Hell on their faces except for what they have uttered with their tongues? [1]

2. Real migration is not the mere moving from a land of disbelief to the land of Islam. The Arabic word for migration is hijrah, which is derived from the root hajara, which means ‘to abandon, leave alone, depart from, etc.’ The Prophet uses it here in its full meaning, which is leaving and discarding. Therefore, the real migration of a Muslim means to abandon everything that God has forbidden. Therefore, continuing with one’s sinful practices after leaving the land of disbelief does not constitute the complete migration. What is meant by hijrah in the Islamic sense is ‘to depart from evil and keep away from it in order to seek goodness and love it’. As such, it applies to abandoning sin and disobedience of God. Leaving the land of disbelief to join the land of Islam is part of it.

1. Everyone should be keen to reflect all Islamic values, so that we earn the full reward of true Muslims. Therefore, beware of being physically or verbally unfair to others.

  2. Make sure not to be unjust to anyone, either verbally or physically, because this is the cause of ultimate bankruptcy as it loses you the reward of your good deeds. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: ‘Do you know who is bankrupt?’ People answered: ‘A bankrupt person is one who has neither money nor goods’. He said: ‘In my community, a bankrupt person is one who on the Day of Judgement will show that he has attended to prayers, fasted and paid zakat, but who has also reviled this person, levelled accusations on that person, took money unlawfully from a third, injured or killed someone, and physically attacked another. Every one of them will be given some of his good deeds [in compensation]. If all of his good deeds are taken away but he still owes them compensation, then some of their bad deeds will be added to his, and he will be thrown into Hell. [2] This is an eventuality of utter loss and it should be guarded against.

3. Good manners and morality are the standard by which faith is measured. Whoever excels in manners and morality, excels in faith.

4. It is good to remember: never to be hasty, doing injustice to anyone, because the outcome of such injustice is indeed foul. Equally, never hurl abuse on anyone, even though you are furious, because such abuse rebounds on you.

 5. The early believers secured the merit of abandoning their homeland and settling in Madinah. The same merit remains available to everyone who abandons sin and disobedience of God.

 6. It does not behove any Muslim to rely on their past good deeds, thinking that such deeds will secure their safety on the Day of Judgement, even if they stop their worship. Migration, which is one of the most rewarding acts, will be of no benefit to the migrant if he fails to do his duty which he owes to God. 

1. Related by Ahmad, 22665; Ibn Mājah, 3973; al-Tirmidhī, 2616.

2. Related by Muslim, 2581