he then said: Allah, exalted is He, declares, “The people of Paradise on that Day will have the best abode and the finest place of rest” (Q 25:24). And He also says, “Soon they will know who is in the worse position and weaker in forces” (Q 19:75). In both verses the hamza of khayr (better) and sharr (worse) is elided, although occasionally the original, fully vocalised form does appear.

Thus, among those who will occupy the lowest rank on the Day of Resurrection is the man who enjoys intimacy with his wife and she with him, yet the next morning he goes out and spreads her secrets—or she does the same with his. He says, “Last night I did such-and-such with my wife,” detailing what happened—God protect us—as though the listener were present with them in bed. He divulges matters his wife would hate anyone to know; or the wife tells other women, “My husband does this and that to me.” All of this is forbidden and impermissible, and whoever does it will be among the worst of people in Allah’s sight on the Day of Judgment.

It is therefore obligatory to safeguard whatever is private inside the home, in the bedroom, or elsewhere, and never allow anyone to uncover it. Whoever protects his brother’s secret, Allah will protect his; the recompense is of the same nature as the deed.