Islam and Human Rights — Page 57
Social Values 57 towards goodness and to seek to restrain them from evil, but with kindness and affection (31:18). Spying, back biting and undue suspicion must be avoided (49:13). Someone asked the Prophet whether it was backbiting to mention a defect or shortcoming from which another did in fact suffer. The Prophet replied that that was exactly what backbiting meant, for if the defect or shortcoming did not in fact exist, the person attributing it to another would be guilty both of slander and of backbiting. 21 If a person has been guilty of slandering another, this must not be com municated to the person slandered, because it would create mischief. The Prophet said that a person who slanders another shoots an arrow at him, which falls by the way, but a person who hears a slander and carries the tale of it to the person slandered is like one who directs the arrow to its mark. 22 It is the duty of every Muslim constantly to seek increase of knowledge (20:115). The Prophet said that the seeking of knowledge is a duty cast upon every Muslim man and woman, 23 and he went so far as to add 21 Muslim II, Sect. :Virtue, etc. , Ch. :Prohibition of Backbiting. 22 Ibid. 23 Ibn Maja I, Sect. :Dignity of the Learned, etc.