jerrys1960 member
Joined: 23 Aug 2009 Posts: 256 Location: Philippines
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:08 am Post subject: |
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Nammaam: a male that making slanderous statements (performing nameemah)
Nammaamah : a female that making slanderous statements (performing nameemah)
What is Nameemah?
Nameemah supposedly translates to slander. HOWEVER unlike the Webster definition of slander, with Nameemah it also includes when one may say something totally true about a Muslim or Islamic group, however if that statement is about something that the Muslim (or Islamic group) does not want others to know or does not want to be made public, then it is considered Nameemah or slander. Even if the statement is 100% true.
Nameemah applies to ANY negative statement (even totally factual statements) made about Islam, Muslims, Islamic groups, etc. by Non-Muslims. Muslims will usually call such statements slander or lies against Islam even though the negative statements are in reality factual.
However Nameemah does not apply to (is not held aginst) a Muslim making negative statements (either true or false) about a non-Muslim.
Depending on the situation Nameemah may or may not apply to a muslim speaking about another muslim.
The following is an Islamic write up on the subject.
http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/slander.html
Definition of Nameemah (Slander)
The word Nameemah (Slander) usually refers to the act of carrying tales from one person to another. However, Nameemah is not limited only to that. It includes disclosing things that are disliked, whether by the person being told, the person being discussed, or a third party. This disclosure can be by speaking, writing, nodding, intimating (hinting) or signaling. The disclosed matters can be actions or speech, and may be a defect in the person being discussed or not. The reality of Nameemah is to disclose a secret and expose something about someone who doesn't like having such thing exposed.
A person should not talk about anything that he may see in people and dislike. He should only say something if, inherent within it, it is good for a Muslim and to block a wrong or a harm. If he sees, for example, someone mistreating another's property, then he should testify to obtain the right of the person. But if he sees someone hiding his own property and he discloses this, then it is Nameemah - the revealing of a secret. If what is stated is actually a fault or defect about the person being discussed, then it is a combination of Gheebah [backbiting] and Nameemah.
Nameemah is carrying discussions from one to another for the intention of mischief, disclosing secrets and exposing secret matters. Buhtaan [saying something untrue about a person] about an innocent person [Muslim] is heavier in sin than the weight of the skies. Woe to the one who goes around telling lies about an innocent person [Muslim] to one in authority or others, such that they believe him. He may bring about evil to an innocent person.
The Islamic Ruling on Slander
Nameemah is an abomination. It is very widely spread amongst people and very few are safe from it. Nameemah is prohibited by Ijmaa' [consensus of the Muslim scholars]. There are many clear references from the Qur'an, Sunna and Ijmaa' of the Ummah about the prohibition of Nameemah. Al-Hafiz Al-Munthiri said: "The Ummah has agreed on the prohibition of Nameemah and that it is one of the greatest sins in consideration with Allah." Nameemah was prohibited because of the hatred and enmity that it might cause amongst Muslims. |
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