There is a Hadith reported by an Ansari lady companion of the Prophet (Pbuh), named Asmaa ‘bint Yazeed, who quotes the Prophet as saying: “Shall I tell you who are the best among you?” When the Prophet’s companion requested him to give them that information, he said: “ Those whose appearance reminds you of Allah. Shall I tell you who are the evil ones among you?” Again the Prophet’s companions said: “ Please do.” He said: “ Those who go about telling tales about people, spoil relationship between intimate friends and who seek to bring affliction to innocent people.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab, Al-Mufrad and by Ahmad and Al-Baihaqi). This Hadith tells us that those who go about telling tales about other people are certainly evil ones.

Wherever a Muslim community exists, a system of social relations between its members comes into being, which amazes outsiders by its strong ties, cohesion, absence of selfishness and frank and genuine dealings. Indeed, Muslims themselves wonder at their own model of community relations because it is exceptional, unique and very much related to the degree of their own commitment to Islamic life. As it is the case with all other philosophies and religions, communities may vary in how far they implement the Islamic code of living and how strongly they hold Islamic values and how far they put Islamic principles into operation. It is in the nature of Islam to make man’s conscience very sensitive, so that it objects to any violation of moral values. It is perhaps worth remembering here that there are values which are shared by all communities and philosophies. For example, speaking the truth is praised in all cultures, philosophies and religions. We may find differences in how violating this principle is seen. For example, certain cultures speak of a “white lie” with a degree of acceptability, especially when such a white lie will bring some benefit to the person who says it and brings no harm to no one else. This represents a rather complacent approach to the vice of telling lies.

Islam does not accept such complacency. It wants its followers to always say the truth and considers telling a lie in any circumstance, apart from two or three specific cases, to be a punishable violation of Islamic virtues, or to use the Islamic terminology, a sin.

While all communities and philosophies try to maintain strong social relations, Islam makes that a duty of the individual. It works to that end through the establishment of a host of values which complement one another and gives the individual a sense of responsibility to maintain close and sound relations with the rest of the community. This means that everybody will be pulling in the same direction.

When something or someone works against this set up and tries to undermine it, he incurs very strong censure. The perpetrator is viewed in a very bad light and is warned against very heavy punishment. For example, backbiting is considered repugnant by all human societies. However, Islam describes it in terms which makes it appear extremely repugnant to the person who contemplates backbiting and much more so to those who listen or are forced to listen to him. Backbiting is defined as mentioning about your brother in his absence in a way which he dislikes. Muslims are warned against this in the Quran: “ Do not backbite one another. Does any of you wish to eat the flesh of his brother when he is dead? You certainly hate that.”

There is another sort of backbiting which is even more hateful because its effects are even worse. That is to go about in society spreading tales which are certain to spoil relations. If a man comes to you with a tale about one of your friends which suggests that he does not respect your friendship and that he speaks ill of you in your absence, you are bound to be upset. You may decide to have as little dealings with that person as possible. You may take such a decision when you realise that you have no means of proving whether what you have been told is true or not. Now, assume that this very person goes to that particular friend of yours and tells him that you have been telling tales of him and that you do not respect his friendship and you speak ill of him in his absence, he is bound to have the same attitude towards you. The net result is that your friendship is spoilt, broken and replaced by a hostile attitude towards each other. This sort of telling false tales and spoiling social relations is viewed very seriously by Islam. Consider this Hadith reported by an Ansari lady companion of the Prophet (Pbuh), named Asmaa ‘bint Yazeed, who quotes the Prophet as saying: “ Shall I tell you who are the best among you?” When the Pro-phet’s companion requested him to give them that information, he said: “Those whose appearance reminds you of Allah. Shall I tell you who are the evil ones among you?” Again the Prophet’s companions said: “ Please do.” He said: “Those who go about telling tales about people, spoil relationship between intimate friends and who seek to bring affliction to innocent people.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab, Al-Mufrad and by Ahmad and Al-Baihaqi).

This Hadith tells us that those who go about telling tales about other people are certainly evil ones. Indeed, this is an apt description because such tales are bound to bring hostility within a community instead of close relationships. It replaces the feeling of unity within the community with division. People become weary of one another and they are unwilling to trust those who are close to them. Indeed, they try to weaken the very fabric of society. They may feel that they stand to gain as a result of spoiling certain relationships. If it is the case, then they are exhibiting a degree of selfishness which cannot be tolerated by any community. They are placing their own interest above that of the community. While individual and community interests should be accommodated as far as possible without either encroaching on the other, for a person to try to spoil relations between people in order to ensure his own personal gain is totally unacceptable. When this means that close friendship is replaced by hostility, their sinful action appears in a light which makes it extremely repugnant.

The last action of those evil people is described by the Prophet as one which seeks to bring affliction to innocent people. So it is their aim that other people, innocent as they may be, will be afflicted. Scholars have explained this as trying to facilitate sinful actions for people who would otherwise have refrained from them. Fornication and adultery are particularly mentioned in this context, which means that a person who makes it easier for another to persuade him to commit adultery or fornication is indeed a very evil person. This is certainly true because such a sinful action can only bring affliction. On the other hand, the person who is so persuaded or led to commit such a grossly indecent act may have otherwise refrained from it.

On the other hand, the best people are described as those whose very presence reminds one of Allah. This is either a reference to the fact that they are very pious, highly praised for conscious implementation of Islamic rules and always abiding by Islamic moral values, or to the fact that when they talk to people, their discussion is always directed to encourage them to implement Islam and conduct their lives according to Islamic principles. So, it is either because of the example they provide of how a Muslim should live or because of the advice and counsel they give to people, their very presence becomes associated with the remembrance of Allah. This means that they are indeed people who bring goodness with them wherever they go. They are certainly the best of people, as the Prophet describes them. The contrast between such people and the other ones, described by the Prophet as the evil ones, is complete. It is perhaps useful to mention here that the first type of people, that is the good ones, help maintain community ties at the strongest level. That is what Islam wants of its followers. Moreover, when people remember Allah, they remember their obligations towards one another and when they try to fulfill these obligations as best as they can, that is certainly conducive to improving their ties.