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Major Sins4 min readViewed 10 times

Arguing, Picking Apart Another's Words, and Quarreling


Allah, the Almighty has said, {There is the type of man whose speech about this worldly life may dazzle thee and he calls Allah to witness about what is in his heart, yet he is the most contentious of enemies. When he turns his back, his aim everywhere is to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and progeny but Allah loveth not mischief} (AI-Baqarah: 204-205)

Imam AI-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said, " Picking apart another's words consists of attacking another's speech by revealing the mistakes in it, involving no other motive than contempt for the other and displaying one's cleverness. He also said, disputation is what relates to clarifying various legal positions and making a case for them. Concerning arguing, he also said, "Arguing is importunateness in speech to gain one's end, whether monetary or other. It may be initiated by oneself or in response to another.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Disputation may be true or false.” Allah, the almighty said, {And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except in the best way.} (AI-' Ankabut: 46)

He, the Almighty also said, {And dispute with them in the best way.} (An-Nahl: 125)

He, Most High, also said, {None can dispute about the signs of Allah but the unbelievers.} (Ghafir: 4)

Therefore, when the intention behind disputation is to reveal the truth, then it is recommended. But if it is intended to confront the truth or unknowingly done, then it is unlawful. According to this detail, the texts concerning its permissibility or prohibition were revealed. A certain person remarked, "I have not seen anything that impairs one's religion, diminishes one's respectability, ends one's happiness or preoccupies one's heart like arguing.”1

If one objects that a person must argue to obtain his rights, the reply is that as AI-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him." The stern condemnation of it applies to those who argue without right or knowledge, such as the deputy of the judge who proceeds in dealing with disputation before knowing justice and on which side it is so he disputes without knowledge.

Of stern condemnation is the one who demands his right. That is because such a person does not only demand his right, but displays picking apart others' words, lying, harming and assaulting towards his opponent. Or someone who adds abuse to his speech that is necessary to secure his rights, or is motivated to argue by nothing besides an obstinate desire to win and to finish his opponent.

As for someone who has been wronged and makes his case in away compatible with the Sacred Law, without belligerence, excessiveness, or importunateness, and not intending mere obstinacy and abuse, it is not unlawful, though it is better to avoid it if there is no way to do so, for keeping one's tongue within the limits of fair play during the course of an argument is virtually impossible, Moreover, arguing produces rancor in hearts and causes animosity that can lead to actual hatred between two people, until each comes to be pleased when harm befalls the other and to be displeased at the good, and unleashes his tongue against the other's reputation. Whoever argues runs the risk of these calamities. At minimum, a quarrel comes to preoccupy one's heart so that during the prayer one's thoughts turn to debating and arguing, and one does not remain, as one should, Disputation is the source of evil as well as arguing and picking a part one's words, Therefore, one should not open the door for disputation unless for a necessity.

On the authority of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) who said. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "It is enough sinful to be an arguing person.”1

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said, "Disputation invokes disasters (upon the person). On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "He who presses for something without knowledge remains under the hatred of Allah until he gives it up.” 2

On the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said, "The Prophet (pbuh) said, “No people went astray after having been guided save that they were afflicted with arguing" then he recited, {They did not mention him (Jesus) to you as an example except for argument.} (AI-Zukhruf: 58)”3

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "The things I fear most for my Ummah is a case of "a scholar's slip the arguing hypocrite over the Qur'an and the worldly life which cuts your necks off, so accuse it within your hearts.” 4

The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Arguing over the Qur'an is unbelief.”5

1 Reported by Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya concerning the matter of silence.

.

1 Reported by At-Timidhi.

2 Reported by Al-Asbahani in At-Targhib wa At-TarhID.

3 Reported by At-Timidhi.

4 Reported by Ibn Hajar in Majma' Az-Zawa'id.

5 Reported by Abu Dawud.

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Chapters (74)
  1. 1Acknowledgment
  2. 2Preface
  3. 3Imam Dhahabi
  4. 4Definition:
  5. 5Ascribing Associates To Allah, the Most High (Shirk)
  6. 6Killing A Human Being
  7. 7Sorcery
  8. 8Not Performing the Prayer
  9. 9Not Paying Zakat
  10. 10Breaking One's Fast During Ramadan Without An Excuse
  11. 11Not Performing The Hajj When Able To
  12. 12Showing Disrespect To One's Parents
  13. 13Severing the Ties of One's Relatives
  14. 14Adultery
  15. 15Sodomy
  16. 16Accepting Usurious Gain
  17. 17Wrong Consuming an Orphan's Property
  18. 18Lying About The Prophet (pbuh)
  19. 19Fleeing From The Battlefield
  20. 20The Leader Who Misleads His Followers, The Tyrant And The Oppressor
  21. 21Arrogance, Pride, Conceit, Vanity And Haughtiness
  22. 22Bearing False Witness
  23. 23Drinking Alcohol
  24. 24Gambling (Qimar)
  25. 25Accusing A Woman Of Adultery
  26. 26Misappropriating Spoils of War, Muslim Funds or Zakat
  27. 27Theft
  28. 28Highwaymen Who Menace the Road
  29. 29The Engulfing Oath
  30. 30Taking People's Property Through Falsehood
  31. 31Collecting Taxes
  32. 32The Consumption Of Haram
  33. 33Suicide
  34. 34Telling Lies
  35. 35The Dishonest Judge
  36. 36Bribery
  37. 37Women Imitating Men and Vice Versa
  38. 38The Pimp And The One Who Permits His Wife To Fornicate
  39. 39Marrying Solely to Return to the Previous Husband
  40. 40Not Freeing Oneself of All Traces of Urine
  41. 41Showing off in Good Work
  42. 42Learning Sacred Knowledge for the Sake of This World, or Concealing It
  43. 43Breach of Faith
  44. 44Reminding Recipients of one's charity to them
  45. 45Disbelieving in Destiny (Qadar)
  46. 46Listening to People's Private Conversations
  47. 47The Talebearer Who Stirs up Enmity between People
  48. 48Cursing Others
  49. 49Breaking One's Promise Or Pledge
  50. 50Believing Fortunetellers and Astrologers
  51. 51A Wife's Rebellion Against Her Husband
  52. 52Picture-making
  53. 53Loudly Lamenting For The Dead Or When Afflicted With An Adversity
  54. 54Excess Against Others
  55. 55Overburdening And Arrogance Against Others
  56. 56Hurting One's Neighbor
  57. 57Hurting or Reviling Muslims
  58. 58Harming the Servants of Allah
  59. 59Dragging the Hem Of One's Garment Out of Conceit
  60. 60Men Wearing Silk or Gold
  61. 61Fleeing of the Slave
  62. 62Slaughtering in Other Than Allah's Name
  63. 63Falsely claiming someone is One's Father
  64. 64Arguing, Picking Apart Another's Words, and Quarreling
  65. 65Withholding Excess Water From Others
  66. 66Stinting When Weighing or Measuring Out Goods and Similar Merchandise
  67. 67Feeling Secure from Allah's Devising
  68. 68Despairing of the Mercy of Allah and Losing of Hope
  69. 69Forgoing the Congregational Prayer to Pray Alone Without a Legal Excuse
  70. 70Constantly Missing the Friday and Congregational Prayer Without a Valid Excuse
  71. 71Bringing Loss to the Bequest
  72. 72Deception and Evil Schemes
  73. 73Spying on the Muslims and Revealing their Weaknesses
  74. 74Disparaging the Companions of the Prophet