How Should a Muslim Conceal the Faults of Others?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
Question
How should a Muslim conceal the faults of others?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.
The principle of concealing the faults of Muslims is a significant one in Islam, established to protect numerous interests at both the individual and societal levels. It is for this reason that the principles of sincere advice and gentle admonishment have been legislated. Allah (Most High) says:
“Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice, and only debate with them in the best manner. Surely your Lord (alone) knows best who has strayed from His Way and who is (rightly) guided.” [Quran, 16:125]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Religion is sincerity.” We asked, “To whom?” He replied, “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and their common folk.” [Muslim]
Individual Level
On the individual level, concealing faults preserves the reputation of the person, assists them in repenting and returning to Allah (Most High), and gives them an opportunity to reform and become upright. Many hadiths encourage concealing faults, including:
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“No servant conceals (the faults of) another servant in this world, except that Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection.” [Ibid.]
Societal Level
On the societal level, concealing faults protects religion and morals, and prevents the spread of immorality by avoiding the publicizing and discussing of sinful behavior. Allah (Most High) warns against this, saying:
“Indeed, those who love to see indecency spread among the believers will suffer a painful punishment in this life and the Hereafter. Allah knows, and you do not know.” [Quran, 24:19]
Steps
To effectively conceal faults, the following steps should be taken:
Overlook the Mistakes of Others
Avoid focusing on and exposing the faults of fellow Muslims, and refrain from spying on them. If you see a fellow Muslim committing a sin or engaging in a fault, turn away and do not follow it with your gaze, let alone spy on them. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“O you who have believed with their tongues but not with their hearts, do not backbite the Muslims or seek out their faults, for whoever seeks out their faults, Allah will expose his faults, and if Allah exposes his faults, He will disgrace him in his own home.” [Ahmad; Abu Dawud]
Do Not Hasten to Judge
Always seek to interpret the situation positively and give the person the benefit of the doubt until you are certain of their sin or fault.
Avoid Making Them Aware That You Have Seen Their Fault
Instead, subtly advise them in a suitable manner, using wisdom and good manners, without explicitly mentioning that you witnessed the fault.
Advise Them Directly If They Know You Are Aware of Their Fault
If they are aware that you know of their fault, then advise them directly, but do so with wisdom, privately, and at an appropriate time and place.
Do Not Remind Them of Their Fault or Criticize Them Repeatedly
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“If a slave woman commits adultery and it becomes evident, then apply the prescribed punishment on her but do not criticize her.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
It was also reported that a man was brought to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for drinking alcohol, and he said: “Beat him.” Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) said: “So some of us struck him with our hands, others with their sandals, and others with their garments. When he finished, some people said, ‘May Allah disgrace you!’ The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: ‘Do not say this, and do not assist the devil against him.’” [Bukhari]
Not Sharing with Anyone
Do not share what you saw with anyone. Act as if nothing happened.
Defend Them in Their Absence
Shield them from suspicion and negative assumptions to the best of your ability.
Own Faults
Focus on your own faults rather than those of others.
Dua
Pray for yourself and your brother for guidance, concealment, and a good end.
Summary
Based on the above, it is a Muslim’s duty to conceal the faults of their fellow Muslims, advise them sincerely, and guide them toward the path of righteousness.
Abandoning them or siding against them with the devil or society goes against Islamic teachings. By following these guidelines, we protect the community from the spread of immorality. All praise is due to Allah (Most High), the Lord of all worlds.
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti
Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti is a Syrian scholar born in Aleppo in 1977. He obtained his degree in Shari‘a from the Shari‘a Faculty of Damascus University, a Diploma in Educational Qualification from the Faculty of Education at Aleppo University, and a Diploma in Shari‘a and a Master’s in Shari‘a from the Faculty of Sharia, and Law at Omdurman University in Sudan. He is currently writing his doctoral thesis.
He studied under esteemed scholars such as Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani, and Shaykh Dr. Nur al-Din Itr, among others. Shaykh al-Yakti has worked in teaching and cultural guidance in orphanages and high schools in Aleppo. He served as an Imam, Khatib, and reciter at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and as a certified trainer for Khatibs in Abu Dhabi’s Khatib Qualification Program.
He is involved in developing and teaching a youth education program at Seekers Arabic for Islamic Sciences.
Among Shaykh al-Yaqti’s significant works are “Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni: Bayna Ilm al-Kalam Wa Usul al-Fiqh” and the program “The Messenger of Allah Among Us (Allah bless him and give him peace).”
