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From Issue: 451 [Read full issue]

Living the Quran

Al-Hujurat (The Chambers)
Chapter 49: Verse 11 (Partial)

Culture of Insults
"Neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoever does not repent, such are evil-doers."

Some people are disposed to be rude and abrasive. They speak harsh words that show no strength of argument or evidence, but are full of insults and abuse.

There is nothing wrong with people disagreeing and arguing with each other, especially in these troubled and confusing times. However, the way to handle disagreements is with lucid arguments and temperate speech. A person's mode of discussion should show the purity of his intentions, the strength of his intellect, and the nobility of his character.

It is apparent to everyone that the Muslim world is being stifled by numerous crises. It is like a ship being tossed about in a storm and the people on board are afraid that they will drown. Their voices all mix together. Some voices are merciful and concerned. Some are calm. Others are angry and seething. Then there is that voice that spews forth curses and insults left and right – but that voice always spares itself. Indeed the worst possible person is the one who sees only good in himself and evil in everyone else. Our brothers and sisters are part of ourselves, and we need to esteem them with the same regard that we esteem ourselves.

The Internet has provided us with a new way to insult and defame each other – the electronic insult. Now people can disseminate their insults and slanders free of charge and without any accountability, and have their names published along with their choice of words. Those who engage in this behavior openly are truly flaunting their own sinfulness.

The Internet also provides the opportunity to be anonymous, to hide behind a false name, and this allows the slanderer can forego all of his inhibitions. Unfortunately, sensible and balanced speech is often not much of an attention-getter. The electronic slanderer, on the other hand, is encouraged by the attention that he gets, both from those who support him and those who criticize him. He might even fool himself enough to think that he is making history!

This abuse of the electronic media is unscrupulous and unprincipled. Those who exhibit such behavior expose themselves as people bereft of values, people who are controlled by their basest passions and by the blindest of anger, and who are motivated by petty spite. Those who think that they are upholding the truth or defending the faith by behaving in such a way are only the more deceived.

Those of us who wish to keep on the straight path in this culture of insults need to do the following:

1. We can turn away from such behavior and from those who exhibit it. One of the Prophet's characteristics was that other people's ignorant behavior only made him behave more gently.

2. We can respond with something better. This means that we can pray to Allah on behalf of the other person and beseech Allah to forgive him. We can say something nice and counter a bad word with one that is good.

3. We must keep our composure and stay calm. Life is a long road, and we need rest and tranquility. Live your domestic life in contentment and serenity. Carry out your livelihood – be it commerce, industry, Islamic work, management, or whatever else Allah appoints for you in this world – quietly, serenely, patiently, and with a cheerful countenance. Do not pay any mind to those voices that seek to bring you down.

4. We should not waste time responding to and refuting what they say. Leave that to others. Not everything that we say is necessarily correct, and not everything that others say is wrong. We should spare ourselves the insults and abuses.

5. We must never let our animosities and other's disrespect goad us into denying the truth, uttering falsehood, or persisting in an error. We must make self-assessment and self-correction our habits.

6. We should remember that we have committed mountains of sins. We have looked at forbidden sights. We have said things we should not have said. We have been neglectful in our duties. Allah, in His kindness towards us, chooses for us the easier afflictions of this world to expiate for our sins or to elevate our status or to bring us to heights that we could never have reached with our good deeds alone.

Source:
"A Modern Culture of Insults" - Salman al-Oadah
Understanding the Prophet's Life

Labour Dues

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) encouraged speedy payment of wages to people hired for their labour. He said: “Give the hired man his wages before his sweat dries.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2/817)

One form of oppression or injustice that is common in today’s societies is the failure to give employees and workers their rights. This takes many forms, for example:

Denying an employee’s rights in totality, where the employee has no proof of his rights. He may have lost his dues in this world, but he will not lose them before Allaah on the Day of Resurrection. So the oppressor who consumed the money due to the victim will be brought forth, and his victim will be given some of his good deeds in compensation. If these are not enough, some of the victim’s bad deeds will be added to the oppressor, then he will be thrown into Hell.

Not giving the employee his full rights. One example of this is the action of some bosses who bring workers from other countries with a contract to pay a certain wage. Once the people are committed and have started to work for him, he goes and changes the contracts, altering them to state a lower wage than the one actually agreed upon. If the employer is a Muslim and the employee is not, this lowering of wages is a way of turning people away from the Straight Path, and he will carry his sin.

Making the employee do extra work or put in longer hours, without paying him overtime or giving him any more than the basic salary.

Some bosses delay payment of wages and pay up only after much struggle, complaining, chasing and court cases. Their aim may be to make the employee give up his claim to his rightful wages and stop asking; or they may want to invest this money, perhaps by lending it for interest. Meanwhile, the poor employee cannot buy his daily bread or send anything home to his needy wife and children for whose sake he left to work overseas. Woe to those oppressors on that painful Day! Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah says: ‘There are three whom I will oppose on the Day of Resurrection: a man who gives his word, swearing by Me, then breaks it, a man who sells a free man into slavery and keeps the money, and a man who hires another and benefits from his labour, then does not pay him his wages.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see Fath al-Baari, 4/447).

Source:
"Muharramat" - Salih Al-Munajjid
Blidspot!

Copyright Violation

The Permanent Committee headed by Sheikh `Abd Al-`Azeez Ibn Baz (may Allah bless his soul), states that it is forbidden to make copies of programs if their owners do not permit doing so without their prior permission. The following Hadiths verify this view:

"Muslims should abide by their stipulations."
"A Muslim's property is not permitted (to be taken by others) without his consent."
"Whoever precedes others in gaining a Halal (lawful) thing, will be more entitled to own it (than others)."

This is applicable whether the owner of these programs is a Muslim or a non-Muslim (who is not at war with Muslims, for the property of the non-fighting unbelievers are to be protected in the same way as that of Muslims).

Shedding more light on the issue, Dr. Mahmoud `Akam, professor at the Faculty of law and Education in Halab, declares that “copyright is like money, which no one is permitted to take except through Shari`ah-based contracts. This is the case whether the owner of these programs is a Muslim or non-Muslim individual, or a Muslim or non-Muslim state. However, if a non-Muslim state is engaged in fighting Muslims, it is permissible to take their property as spoils of war.”

This stance is based on the following Quranic verses:
"O ye who believe! Fulfil your undertakings." (Al-Ma'idah: 1)
“O ye who believe! Betray not Allah and His messenger, nor knowingly betray your trusts." (Al-Anfal: 27)
Likewise, the following Hadiths support this stance:
"(Keep and) pay back the trusts of those who entrust you."
"The true believer is the one from whom Muslims are safe regarding their blood and property."

As for copying computer programs for educational purposes, it is permissible in case of necessity, i.e., if it is difficult to obtain an original copy of this program or its price is too expensive. This is in accordance with the following Qur'anic verses:
“Unless ye are compelled thereto.” (Al-An`am: 119)
“But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah: 173)

Finally, the above-mentioned legal rulings extend, by virtue of analogical deduction qiyas, to making copies of CDs and all similar items.

Now the question is whether they actually really need some of these programs to the point where they can argue necessity? Moreover, even if it were necessary can they really go on the record with Allah to argue that they could not have afforded it?

Source:
IslamOnline.Net Fatwa Section

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