4876 - Muhammad ibn 'Awf narrated to us, Abu al-Yaman narrated to us, Shu'ayb informed us, 'Abdullah ibn Abi Husayn narrated to us, Nawfal ibn Musahiq narrated from Sa'id ibn Zayd, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: "Indeed, among the most usurious of usury is extending one's tongue against the honor of a Muslim without right."(1)

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= Also recorded by al-Tirmidhi (2673) via the chain of Waki', and (2674) via the chain of 'Abd al-Rahman, both from Sufyan al-Thawri, from him. The first narration of al-Tirmidhi is limited to its ending.

It is also in the "Musnad" of Ahmad (24964) and (25560), and in "Sharh Mushkil al-Athar" of al-Tahawi (1080).

Relating [someone's faults] is forbidden if it is done by way of mockery, ridicule, and contempt, because it involves self-admiration, contempt for creation, and causing them harm. This applies to what is not acquired by effort from Allah's creation, Mighty and Majestic is He. But if it concerns what they have earned, then if it involves disobedience, it is permissible to relate their actions by way of deterrence, so long as it does not compromise dignity and decorum. And if it concerns obedience, relating it is permissible—except that if the disobedient one repents, then mentioning his disobedience is not permissible. From the margin of Mukhtasar al-Mundhiri 7/212-213.

(1) Its chain is authentic. Abu al-Yaman: he is al-Hakam ibn Nafi', and Shu'ayb: he is Ibn Abi Hamzah, and 'Abdullah ibn Abi Husayn: he is 'Abdullah ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Husayn.

Also recorded by Ahmad in his "Musnad" (1651), Ya'qub ibn Sufyan in his "Tarikh" 1/292, al-Bazzar in his "Musnad" (1264), al-Shashi in his "Musnad" (208) and (230), al-Tabarani in "al-Kabir" (357), and in "al-Shamiyyin" (2937), al-Bayhaqi in "al-Sunan" 10/241, and in "Shu'ab al-Iman" (6710), and in "al-Adab" (145) via multiple chains from Abu al-Yaman al-Hakm ibn Nafi', with this chain. Some of them include an addition. The wording of al-Shashi in his second narration is: "The most usurious of usury is insulting honors."

The author of "'Awn al-Ma'bud" said: "Indeed, among the most usurious of usury," i.e., the greatest in consequence and the most severely forbidden. "Extending one's tongue," i.e., lengthening the tongue against "the honor of a Muslim," i.e., showing contempt for him, elevating oneself above him, and attacking him with something like slander or insult. This is the most severely forbidden because honor is dearer to the soul than wealth. =