Tweets and Retweets, Especially In Ramadan

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

From Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan bin ʿAlī bin Abī Ṭālib, the grandson of the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam) and his sweet fragrance (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) who said: I memorized from the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam), “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.” https://www.nawawis40hadith.com/nw/hadith/11/leaving-doubt

When a young man encounters something he finds very questionable or contradictory to his observations about those whom he knows to be people of integrity, and he brings his concerns to us, we first remind him of the importance of being cautious with our words, especially during Ramadan. It’s not just about speaking outright falsehoods; sometimes, a person may express an opinion that hasn’t been thoroughly examined, share feelings stemming from a past conflict they didn’t directly experience, or unintentionally convey a partial truth that lacks the complete context.

It is our constant endeavour to remind our beloved younger brothers that when contentious matters are thrust upon them without their pursuit of discord or uncertainty, and while they are diligently engaged in the lessons offered at various centers, Masajid and hired halls in the West, including Birmingham, Manchester, London, and beyond, they must remain steadfast in their understanding. They should not permit their well-founded knowledge to be clouded by confusion and conjecture. Thus, a discerning individual refrains from hastily retweeting or sharing information without careful consideration.

When someone approaches us —whether in person or through a tweet—claiming that a person we know well, who we observe daily and see what he shares on social media regarding Aqeedah and Manhaj, is behaving differently, we find it perplexing when the claimant produces no proof. These individuals on Twitter may insist – either directly or indirectly- on their alternate narratives but constantly fail to provide any solid evidence when requested, and instead continue to repeat the same claims at various times, while it becomes clearer every day that their assertions are in stark contrast to what one witnesses. This is why we have not ceased either blocking or ignoring those who want attention no matter how frustrating their comments may be.

It’s essential to recognise that rational individuals don’t forsake the concrete evidence they can observe in favour of negative portrayals of someone on social media, while those portrayals lack substantiation or clearly contradict reality. Be wary of accepting claims about a person based solely on gossip, guessing, assumptions and insinuations, as the speaker may have already formed a biased opinion and believes that repeating their assertions will somehow validate and solidify their views or feelings in the presence of those who share the same feelings on social media. We consistently remind our beloved younger brothers that any tweets or retweets concerning others, or specific situations in various countries regarding certain Salafiyyoon, must be grounded in facts and verified realities, regardless of who makes or shares these claims.

In our era, some individuals – on social media – exploit the trust placed in them to launch attacks on others or perpetuate misunderstandings until they are accepted as truth by those unfamiliar with the full context of the issue. Many may not grasp the beginning, middle, and end of a situation, nor can they reconcile the broader themes with the specific details of the disagreement. They often struggle to distinguish between what is absolute and what is limited in the debate, or to differentiate between clear facts and ambiguous statements. Consequently, those with ulterior motives can present narratives that distort the true nature of events, blurring the line between certainty and doubt.

Sometimes, you encounter individuals on twitter who express opinions without fully grasping the disagreement at hand. They may communicate ideas that are based on misconceptions rather than the actual situation. It’s as if they believe they understand the issue, even when evidence suggests otherwise—either that their statements are inaccurate or that they are exaggerating. They might hold onto a narrative that they are certain is doubtful due to the clarity and reality of what opposes this narrative, but they prefer contradictory information that is, in fact, less credible or non-existent after being examined. This topic occasionally surfaces on Twitter, where people from different regions of the world compete to express their viewpoints. Consequently, when users or groups on Twitter—whether overtly or subtly—make comments about a well-know follower of Sunnah, a community’s circumstances, or events in a specific Western location, it’s essential to avoid rushing to judgment by tweeting, retweeting or commenting without careful consideration. The primary objective of the affair must be to distance oneself completely from Qeel Wa Qaal. The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

“Verily Allah is pelased with three things for you and He hates three things for you. He is pleased with you that you worship Him alone and associate none with Him, that you all hold fast to the rope of Allah, and be not divided, and hates for you Qeel Wa Qaal, persistent questioning and wasting of wealth”. [Sahih Muslim 1715]

The Marakiz are well-known, and their daily activities are observed in Birmingham, London, Manchester, and other cities. The teachers – both young and old – actively engage in lessons, offer reminders, and share publications rooted in the teachings of revered predecessors and respected contemporary scholars, including Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan and Al-Allamah Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbad, among others. Don’t let the chatter of Twitter distract you, even for a moment.

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all the limbs humble themselves before the tongue and say, ‘Fear Allah for our sake, (for) we are with you; if you are upright, we will be upright; and if you are crooked, we will become crooked’”. [1]

Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his mouth, his tongue, and his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him.” [2]

Imam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “This requires two affairs: profuse remembrance (of Allah) and keeping away from gatherings of heedlessness and doubts, and that which will result in fornication and nonsense speech”. [3]

Al-Fudayl Ibn Iyad, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Neither hajj nor taking up positions during battle, nor Jihad is more difficult than restraining the tongue”. [4]

Imam Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Know that whoever is acquainted with the worth of his era and that it is his main capital will not seek an understanding except in what is beneficial. This acquaintance obligates one to restrain the tongue from speaking about that which does not concern him, for indeed the one who abandons the remembrance of Allah and busies himself with what does not concern him is like one who can get hold of a gem but exchanges it for a clod of earth.  This is a loss of one’s lifespan”. [5]

Al-Fudayl Ibn Iyad, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Some of our companions used to guard their speech from one Jumu’ah to another Jumu’ah.” [6]

It was said to one of the scholars may Allah have mercy upon him,  “Indeed, you do keep quiet for a long time!” He said: “Indeed, I consider my tongue as a wild voracious animal. I fear that if I let it loose, it will hurt me.” [7]

It is said that a man argued with Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays- may Allah have mercy upon both of them- and said: “If you say one, you will hear ten.” Al-Ahnaf replied: “But if you say ten, you will not hear one!” [8]

Ziyad Ibn Yunus, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “By Allah, Malik, may Allah have mercy upon him, was the greatest of people in terms of honourabe behaviour, and the one who kept silent the most. When he sat down, he would not get up until he had to, and I saw him as someone who was often silent, spoke little, and guarded his tongue”. Ibn Al-Mubarak said: “Malik was the most patient in dealing with people, and he would leave what did not concern him”. [9]

Al-Hasan Bin Salih, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “I scrutinised the affair regarding one refraining from doubtful matters out of fear of falling into haram and did it find it more lacking in anything than the tongue”. [10]

Yunus Ibn Ubayd, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Indeed, you see a man fasting a lot, abstaining from the forbidden deeds and praying the night prayer, whilst he testifies to falsehood in the morning.”  [11]

Ibnul Mubaarak, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked about the statement of Luqmaan, peace be upon him, to his son: ‘’If speech is from silver, then silence is from gold.” So he said: ‘’It means that if speech in obedience to Allah is from silver, then silence (to refrain from) disobedience to Allah is gold’’. [12]

[1] Sahih at-Tirmidhee 2407

[2] Al-Bukhari 6474

[3] Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh al-Bukhari. Vol 4. Page:244. Footnote:2

[4] Jami’ul Uloom Wal-Hikam 145

[5] Mukhtasar Minhaaj Al-Qaasideen’ page 176

[6] As-Samt page 223

[7] As-Samt page 299

[8] Siyar A’lam An-Nubula 4/93

[9] Tarteeb Al-Madaarik Wa Taqreeb Al-Masaalik 1/127-128

[10] Siyar A’laam An-Nubulaa  7/368

[11] Hilyatul Awliyaa 3/20]

[12] Jami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam 155]