1579 – Muʿāwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say, “If you track down the hidden faults of the Muslims, you will corrupt them—or be on the verge of corrupting them.” A sound ḥadīth, recorded by Abū Dāwūd with an authentic chain.

1580 – Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) was once brought a man and it was said to him, “This man’s beard is dripping with wine.” He replied, “We have been forbidden to spy, but if something becomes openly apparent to us we will act upon it.” A ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth, reported by Abū Dāwūd with a chain that meets the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

272 – Chapter: The prohibition of harboring ill suspicion of Muslims without necessity

Allah the Exalted says: “O you who believe, avoid much suspicion; indeed, some suspicion is sin.” (Q 49:12)

1581 – Abū 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 most false of speech.” Agreed upon.

273 – Chapter: The prohibition of belittling Muslims

Allah the Exalted says: “O you who believe, let not one group ridicule another; it may be that they are better than them. Nor let women ridicule other women; it may be that they are better than them. Do not revile one another (1), and do not call each other by offensive nicknames (2). How evil is the name ‘sinner’ after faith! Whoever does not repent—those are the wrongdoers.” (Q 49:11) And He says: “Woe to every backbiting slanderer (3).” (Q 104:1)