Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, those who like to see indecency spread among the believers will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter; Allah knows and you do not know.} [Surat al-Nūr: 19]
‘Awrah is of two types: physical and moral.
The physical ‘Awrah refers to the body parts that are prohibited to be looked at, like the private parts and the like.
The moral ‘Awrah refers to faults in character or in actions.
A Muslim is required to conceal all the ‘Awrahs of Muslims.
As for “liking to see indecency spread among the believers,” this includes two cases:
- Liking to see indecency spread in the Muslim community.
- Liking to see it spread in a certain person.
240/1- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is no person who conceals the faults of another person in this worldly life, except that Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Like deed like reward: so whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah Almighty will reward him on the Day of Judgment in the same way.
2) Concealment depends on interests. That is, if interest lies in concealment, it should be opted for, and if it lies in exposure, it should be opted for.
Concealment is of two types:
Praiseworthy concealment: it is to conceal the faults of an upright person. Such a person should be granted concealment of faults and sincere advice.
Dispraised concealment: it is to conceal the faults of a person who is indulged in prohibitions and transgresses against others. Such a person should not be granted concealment; rather, he should be exposed and his real character should be disclosed.
241/2- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “All of my Ummah may be forgiven except those who commit sin openly. One kind of committing sin openly is that someone sins during the night, then comes the next day - while Allah has screened his sin - yet he says, ‘O So-and-so, last night, I did such-and-such.’ His Lord has screened his sin all night but in the morning he exposes what Allah has screened.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Your self is a trust with you, you have to assign due care to it and avoid exposing it to the displeasure of Allah Almighty.
2) Introducing a bad practice is included in the public committing of bad deeds.
242/3- He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If a slave-girl commits fornication and it is proved that she committed fornication, he (her master) should lash her the prescribed number of lashes (fifty lashes) and not rebuke her. If she committed fornication again, he should lash her the prescribed number of lashes and not rebuke her. If she committed fornication for the third time, he should sell her, even for a rope woven from hair (i.e. something worthless).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) The Hadd (prescribed punishment for Zina) of the female slave is half that of a free woman.
2) Reproaching a female slave for committing Zina is forbidden so that she would not take that sin lightly due to excessive reproach.
3) The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) guided us to the correct manner of implementing punishment for sins. This shows that, by criticizing excessive reproach and reprimand, the prophetic guidance was ahead of modern pedagogical approaches.
243/4- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also reported that a man who had drunk alcohol was brought to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) so he said: “Beat him.” Abu Hurayrah added: “So some of us beat him with their hands, some with their sandals, and some with their garment (by twisting it like a lash). Then, when the man left, someone said: “May Allah disgrace you!” Upon that, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not say this! Do not help the devil to overpower him.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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1) When a slave commits a sin and receives the corresponding punishment in the worldly life, it is an expiation for his sin. So, we should not invoke disgrace and shame upon him, but ask Allah to guide and forgive him.
2) One should not help the devil against his Muslim brother.