Suspicion is from one’s own evil
إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ
“…for, surely, suspicion in some cases is a sin… (49:12)”
Make correction from the very beginning. Keep away from spying and backbiting. We will describe this is detail – if Allah wills. Correct your thinking. Do not think evil about anyone.
There are some who have made suspicion their habit. Whenever they look at anyone, they never see the bright side. They find only the evil deeds of others and say, that one is prejudiced, he is selfish. Do not look at it. He thinks so as he himself is not good-natured; his thoughts are devilish. Whenever he hears anything from anybody he derives a dark side from it. As he himself is not right, his eyes see wrong in everyone. He thinks that the other person is selfish, liar etc. He suspects even his own wife and relatives and begins to spy on them. Spying leads to backbiting and thus stocking fire for himself in hell.
Prevent suspicion by having a good opinion
First of all, improve you imagination. Think in a good direction. What knowledge you have. You only imagine and you are that what you think is right? He says: I saw it with my own eyes that he came out of the house of a prostitute. I do not say that you are lying. All right, you saw him coming out of an ill-famed house. But are you sure that he had gone there for an evil deed? May be he had gone in search of a vacant house, to talk with the landlord or to purchase it or he may have any other building or construction business or any other personal matter.
Do not rely on doubt. Maybe he went there by mistake. Looking at every house, you imagine that as there is corruption, this man is also definitely an evil fellow. The Second Martyr says in Kashfur Reebah: If detect a foul smell in someone’s breath you have no right to say that he has consumed wine. You did not see him drink. You only saw him intoxicated. It might be that he had gone to a gathering where others had forcibly poured wine in his mouth. There can be any slight doubt. You cannot give a testimony that I saw him drink. There are some eatables, which give out foul smell. It may be something other than wine.
Calling someone Sufi is also suspicion
I myself saw him returning from a Sufi monastery (Khanqah). They said he is a Sufi! First of all, what is a Sufi? Do you know the meaning of Sufi? Then on what ground do you call a monotheist believer a Sufi? Are you not afraid, that tomorrow, on Judgment Day, he will hold your collar and ask: Why did you suspect me? Or, for instance, there are some ignorant people who insult the great scholar Shaykh Bahai, alleging that he believes in Sufi doctrines only because he has quoted some Sufis or has praised someone’s stand. Why do you not form a good opinion?
Say: Shaykh Bahai agreed with such and such scholar in this legal matter or he has quoted his words to support his stand. Support of Shaykh Bahai to someone in this way does not mean that Shaykh Bahai concurs with all the views of that person. You are insulting a great Shia scholar by having such opinion and by saying that he is a Sufi.
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إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ
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“…for, surely, suspicion in some cases is a sin… (49:12)”
Imam Kazim and Shaqeeq Balkhi
There is a tradition in both Sunni and Shia sources, mentioning a miraculous event concerning the seventh Imam, Musa bin Ja’far. Kashful Ghummah is one of authentic books in view of both Sunni and Shia brothers. It is through Ibn Jawzi and some Sunni scholars have preserved it in poetic form. This tradition has many benefits: Shaqeeq Balkhi says: I proceeded for performing Hajj and we started moving with a caravan from Kufa. Everyone took the provisions from the first stage of the journey. (Formerly pilgrims traveled in caravan, on camels or on foot.) In the meantime, I saw a young man in ordinary dress and simple footwear having nothing else with him; neither food articles nor money. I formed a bad opinion about him and thought that perhaps he is a Sufi. Why? Only because his appearance and apparel were like them. I imagined that he wants to be a burden on others.
There are some Sufi saints (dervishes) who beg to fulfill their needs and do nothing except wandering here and there. I thought that I should go to him and give him some advice. I thought I must tell him that this way of life is improper; that if you want to perform the Hajj, do come, in whatever way you like but do not be a burden on others. When I approached him, before I could say anything he said, “O Shaqeeq!” Avoid most of suspicion…
He called him by his name and asked why he (Shaqeeq) was having a bad opinion about others? Looking at a Sufi-like dress you say that he is a Sufi? If someone speaks the words of a Sufi, does he become Sufi?
O Muslims! Your tongues must not be uncontrolled. Allegation or calumny is a Greater sin. You are harming your own selves. You have pointed out your own drawbacks, like this Shaqeeq. Had the Imam not helped him he too would have acted like the enemies of Ahle Bait. Why? Because the appearance of the Imam was like that of Sufis. This is mere imagination, not a fact. You are storing fire in your own grave. Do you not fear that, that person could be pious? Do not be so fearless of hell.
Shaqeeq says: I asked myself: Who was this gentleman who addressed me by my name and who knew even the thought in my mind? It seems he is one of the friends of Allah. I must go to him and seek pardon. But when I intended to go to him he disappeared. Then I could not find him until we reached the next stage. I saw him from a distance. I told myself: Good. I must go to him and beg his pardon and repent. When I came near him, the Imam began himself saying: O Shaqeeq!
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وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى
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“And most surely I am most Forgiving to him who repents and believes and does good, then continues to follow the right direction.”
God has promised that He will forgive everyone who repents and amends his way. Rightly guided is one who makes excuse before God and His creation. This is the path of his repentance. He makes amendment in his behavior and resolves to give up the habit of suspicion. He entertains good opinion about others. Instead of speaking badly about others he talks about their virtues.
Bad description turn into good. If he had spoken badly about someone in his absence, he tells himself: I have made a serious mistake. This is his repentance. There is no other way for his salvation. Good opinion is the repentance of bad opinion. Thus, the Imam gave me good tidings that God had accepted my repentance. I made an apology. Thereafter I did not see the holy Imam. I repented before Almighty Allah.
Satan’s regret for misguiding a believer
There is a narration for amusement of all. It is reported that the Holy Prophet said: It sometimes so happens that Satan, after misguiding a person, repents over what he (Satan) did and says: Oh! I should not have made this man commit this sin. People asked, “How is it that the devil repents over his misguidance to man?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Because that particular man, as an aftermath of his sinning, repents, burns within himself and melts his heart so much that finally he becomes dear to God forever. The devil slaps his head saying, ‘Oh! I should not have led this person to sin.’ He, after committing the sin, repents too much and feels ashamed before God and thus he goes nearer to God and his face turns radiant!”
Now, this Shaqeeq – He committed a sin of forming an adverse opinion, but then he repented so much that, from the moment he could not see the Imam, till the next halt he wept profusely before God. Now, after so much repentance and improvement what a high status he reached.
The narration is exhaustive and detailed. It is mentioned in Kashful Ghummah and also quoted in Muntahaiul Aamal. The rest of the tradition is like this: He (the unknown youth) said this much and went away. I told myself that this man must be a mystic because twice he talked to me, remaining hidden. Thereafter I did not see him until we reached Zabaala. There I saw that this gentleman standing besides a well with a water can. He wanted to fetch water, but all of a sudden the can fell from his hand. He raised his head towards heavens and said: O Lord! You are the One Who quench my thirst whenever I look at water and You alone are the Nourisher Who feeds me whenever I am hungry.
Then he said, “O My Lord and master! I do not have any other utensil except this. Kindly do not take it away from me.” Shaqeeq said, “By God! I observed that the well boiled up and its water arose.” The youth extended his hand and took hold of the can and then filled it up. Then he made ablution and offered four units of prayer. Then he turned towards a sand hill. He took some grains of sand therefrom, poured them in the can and shook it and then drank from it. When I saw all this, I went to him, saluted him and said, “Please give me also from what you got from God as a bounty.” He said, “O Shaqeeq! The bounty of God Almighty had been, openly and secretly, with us always. Therefore, always have a good opinion about Him (your Lord).”
Then he handed over his can to me. When I drank from it I felt that it was tasty, sweet and pleasing. By God! Till today, I have never tasted anything sweeter and more deliciously fragrant than that drink. I was fully gratified, to such an extent that, for several days I did not feel hungry and thirsty. Thereafter, again I did not see that youth until we reached Mecca. Once at mid-night I saw that he was busy in prayers and weeping continuously. He went on praying with humility till daybreak.
Then he kept sitting on his prayer mat and recited the rosary. He performed the Morning Prayer and made seven rounds of the Holy Ka’ba and went out. I followed him to find that, contrary to his former condition, he had high dignity, nobility and many servants. People gathered around him and saluted him. Then I asked a man, “Who is this gentleman?” He replied, “He is Musa bin Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Ali Ibnul Husain bin Ali bin Abi Talib.” I told myself: Had I observed these miraculous things from anyone other than the holy Imam it would have astonished me, but since they were from the Imam, I have no cause to wonder.
O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it… (49:12)”
Satan’s regret for misguiding a believer
The Holy Qur’an, the Command of the Lord of the Worlds, is great in the eyes of every monotheist believer. It is the ordinance issued by the King of Kings. It is the duty of every man to understand this Command, to study it, interpret it properly and to act according to what is mentioned in it. Take care that it is obeyed correctly, lest it be otherwise. Allah orders: It is your duty to refrain from many conjectures. Why? Because, according to one explanation, some conjectures are sins. So never indulge in them. Since this command is addressed to all of us, it is our duty to know the meaning of suspicion (Soo-e-Zann) and to fully understand what it involves. Though we had spoken about these two three verses yesterday, I feel enough was not discussed about this important matter. So, today I will speak at length about the meaning of suspicion or bad opinion and then divide it into two: One, bad opinion about the Creator and, two: Thinking badly about the creation.
