Riyad al-Salihin - Al-Nawawi - (1/544)

Riyad al-SalihinAl-Nawawi

271 – Chapter: The prohibition of spying and of eavesdropping on the speech of one who does not wish to be overheard

Allah the Exalted says: “And do not spy on one another” (Q 49:12). And He also says: “Those who harm believing men and believing women for something they have not earned have verily shouldered a calumny and a manifest sin” (Q 33:58).

1578 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech. Do not seek out one another’s private affairs, do not spy on one another,(1) do not compete with one another, do not envy one another, do not hate one another, and do not turn your backs on one another. Rather, be servants of Allah, brothers, as He has commanded you. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he neither wrongs him, nor abandons him,(2) nor belittles him. Piety is here—piety is here,” he said, pointing to his chest. “It is enough evil for a person to hold his Muslim brother in contempt. The whole of a Muslim is inviolable to another Muslim: his blood, his honour, and his wealth. Allah does not look at your bodies nor at your appearances, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”(3)

In another wording: “Do not envy one another, do not hate one another, do not spy on one another, do not search out one another’s secrets, and do not artificially inflate prices against one another,(4) but be servants of Allah, brothers.”

In another narration: “Do not cut one another off, do not turn your backs on one another, do not hate one another, do not envy one another, and be servants of Allah, brothers.” And in yet another version: “Do not forsake one another, and none of you is to undercut his brother’s sale.” Reported by Muslim with all of these versions, and al-Bukhari transmitted most of them.

(1) That is: do not engage in tajassus (spying) on people’s flaws or pursue them. The term tanaafus denotes desiring something and seeking to have it exclusively. (2) That is: he must not withhold his support or assistance by staying behind him. (3) The original text read: “nor to your forms and your deeds, but He looks to your hearts,” which is a gross error; see the Introduction, note 3, “Miscellaneous Benefits,” no. 1. (4) Derived from najsh, meaning to raise the price of a commodity so as to lure and deceive another purchaser.

٢٧١ - باب النهي عَنِ التَّجَسُّسِ وَالتَّسَمُّعِ لِكَلَامِ مَنْ يَكْرَهُ اسْتِمَاعَهُ قال الله تعالى : ﴿وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا﴾ [سورة الحجرات الآية : ١٢] . وقال تعالى : ﴿وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا ، فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا﴾ [سورة الأحزاب الآية : ٥٨] . ١٥٧٨ - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه ، أن رسول الله ﷺ قال : « إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيثِ ، وَلَا تَحَسَّسُوا ، وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا(١) وَلَا تَنَافَسُوا ، وَلَا تَحَاسَدُوا ، وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا ، وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا ، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ . الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ ؛ لَا يَظْلِمُهُ ، وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ(٢) وَلَا يَحْقِرُهُ ، التَّقْوَى هَهُنَا التَّقْوَى هَهُنَا » وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ « بِحَسَبِ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ ، كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ : دَمُهُ ، وَعِرْضُهُ ، وَمَالُهُ . إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمْ ، وَلَا إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ ، وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ »(٣) . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ : « لَا تَحَاسَدُوا ، وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا ، وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا ، وَلَا تَحَسَّسُوا ، وَلَا تَنَاجَشُوا(٤) وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا » . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ : « لَا تَقَاطَعُوا ، وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا ، وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا ، وَلَا تَحَاسَدُوا ، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا » وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ : « وَلَا تَهَاجَرُوا وَلَا يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ » رواه مسلم بكل هذه الروايات ، وروى البخاري أكثرها .

(١) أي : لا تجسسوا على عيوب الناس ولا تتبعوها . و(التنافس) : الرغبة في الشيء والانفراد به . (٢) أي : لا يترك نصرته وإعانته ويتأخر عنه . (٣) كان الأصل : ( ولا إلى صوركم وأعمالكم ، ولكن ينظر إلى قلوبكم ) وهو خطأ فاحش ، انظر المقدمة - ن - ٣ - فوائد متفرقة ، رقم - ١ - ] . (٤) من النجش وهو : الزيادة في السلعة ليغز غيره ويخدعه .