Protecting Scholars’ Dignity: Lessons from a Regrettable Incident

The Importance of Upholding Scholars’ Honor and Preventing Mischief in Jamaats

Could This Practice Become Prevalent?

A meeting was convened at the Langer House, the headquarters of the Hyderabad and Secunderabad Urban Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith, on January 1st, to discuss a matter between a husband and wife. The wife, who was present with her son, was facing some allegations from her husband. A Roman Urdu petition was presented regarding this issue, and both the city and provincial Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith officials, including Sheikh Hussain Madani, were invited to resolve the matter.

At the beginning of the meeting, the woman, who was the accused party, was supposed to defend herself against the allegations. However, instead of addressing the accusations, she shifted the focus and, within minutes, accused another prominent figure, a person respected by both the public and scholars for his scholarly services. As she was speaking, a person suddenly rose from the meeting and started physically assaulting Sheikh Hussain Madani. Others joined in, beating him severely, even snatching his mobile and forcing him to write a resignation letter. Many of us witnessed this horrific incident within the platform of Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith, and it was deeply regrettable.

A major concern I feel about this incident is that just as Qabil (Cain) introduced murder to the world by killing Habil (Abel), this practice could unfortunately spread among those with animosity and envy towards scholars and the mischief-makers. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
لَيَرِدَنَّ عَلَيَّ ناسٌ مِن أصْحابِي الحَوْضَ، حتَّى عَرَفْتُهُمُ، اخْتُلِجُوا دُونِي، فأقُولُ: أصْحابِي! فيَقولُ: لا تَدْرِي ما أحْدَثُوا بَعْدَكَ (Sahih Muslim 7321)

In this incident, both the Jamaat and the individual involved should take heed. The viral video clearly shows that the city Jamaat invited the provincial officials to resolve financial matters between the husband and wife (as per the petition). However, no clear agenda was set for the meeting, which led to confusion. The accused woman took the opportunity to speak about her personal services instead of addressing the financial matter, and during this, she made various allegations against Sheikh Hussain Madani. No one stopped her, nor was she restrained, allowing her to speak freely. This led to a situation where, without hearing the opposing side or providing any evidence, some individuals started physically attacking the scholar. This was not a rumor; it was captured in the video. What transpired in the meeting hall was recorded, and this recording caused significant division within the Jamaat and among scholars.

Important Points for the Jamaat and Congregation to Consider

Considering this incident, I would like to highlight a few important points for both the Jamaat and the congregation:

1. The Agenda of the Meeting: It is crucial to note that the city and provincial Jamaats met without a clear agenda. If this claim is made that there was a set agenda, it is invalid because the allegations made by the accused woman were not part of the petition. So, how could the agenda be defined? Therefore, all small and large Jamaats should ensure that an agenda is set before any meeting and that all attendees must adhere to it.
   
2. Conducting a Meeting: In a Jamaat meeting, everyone invited should participate in discussions according to the agenda. However, if someone makes a mistake, a few people should not take it upon themselves to mete out punishment. If a woman accuses a scholar of a crime in such a setting, the decision should be made by the entire committee after hearing all sides. In this case, without consulting the committee, a few people took it upon themselves to beat the scholar and demand his resignation, which raises suspicions of prior planning. Such disgraceful scenes were captured and spread on social media, showing complete disregard for the scholar’s honor and the Jamaat’s reputation.
   
3. Selection of Responsible Individuals: Since Jamaats are formed for the welfare of the public, it is crucial to ensure that individuals entrusted with positions are both competent and virtuous. If an individual is appointed by mistake who is not a well-wisher of the Jamaat, they should be removed immediately.
   
4. Organizational Oversight: The situation of the Hyderabad-Secunderabad City Jamaat and the Provincial Jamaat of Telangana suggests that the central Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith in Delhi should supervise and correct the organizational bodies of these two to prevent division and mischief within the Jamaat.
   
5. Invite Only Qualified Individuals for Sensitive Matters: For resolving sensitive issues, only those capable of resolving them should be invited, keeping away those who might cause mischief.
   
6. Confidentiality and Discretion: Many issues, especially those involving the dignity of scholars and respected individuals, must be handled with utmost caution. Exposing such matters publicly can lead to widespread disgrace in the scholarly community. Therefore, such matters should be resolved confidentially without giving any opportunity for opportunists to exploit the situation.
   
7. Consideration Before Speaking: When dealing with matters involving allegations like adultery, one must think carefully before speaking. If a person knowingly makes false accusations, they would be guilty of slander, and without presenting four witnesses, they would be subject to legal punishment. Those who assaulted the scholar should receive dual punishment—one for the injustice and another for their participation in making a false accusation.
   
8. Guidance from the Incident of Ifk (Slander of Aisha): In the case of Ifk, the guidance is clear: if accusations are made against good people, they should immediately be rejected as false accusations. Just as in the incident of Ifk, the person making the accusation is responsible for providing evidence. If four witnesses cannot be presented, the accused’s dignity should be restored.
   
9. Protecting the Dignity of Scholars: It is forbidden to disgrace an ordinary Muslim, so how much more serious is the crime of defaming those who are the inheritors of the Prophets? No one is free from sin, but we all value our own honor. Islam has commanded the protection of everyone’s dignity. Just as we don’t want our own flaws exposed, we must refrain from exposing others.
   
10. The Final Ruling: If a person is accused of adultery but cannot present four witnesses, their innocence should be declared, just as Allah declared the innocence of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). The Jamaat should announce the innocence of Sheikh Hussain Madani if no evidence is presented against him.
    

Remember, defaming the honor of an ordinary Muslim is prohibited, so how much more grave is it to tarnish the reputation of those who inherit the Prophetic legacy? We must all guard against the temptation to ruin someone’s reputation out of animosity. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Judgment.(Sahih Muslim: 2699).

We must oppose falsehood, but with wisdom and privately. Just as we would not want our faults exposed, others too would want their mistakes hidden. I have elaborated on the benefits of concealing secrets and the harms of exposing them in my blog, Mukhaddis Forum, Urdu Majlis Forum, and other social media sites.

اللهم ارنا الحق حقا وارزقنا اتباعه وارنا الباطل باطلا وارزقنا اجتنابه