Volume 21 The Query What is the Ruling of the Ulama e Deen concerning this Masala, that what if a person swears at an Aalim or Faqih, or belittles him, then in such a case, will the ruling of Kufr apply to him or not? And most common people today swear at Aalims and belittle them and slander (backbite against) them. (Explain and be rewarded) The Answer To make Gheebat of even a Jaahil (ignorant person) except for in certain distinctive circumstances is Haraam e Qatai (conclusively forbidden) and Gunah e Kabeera (a major sin). The Quran e Azeem has referred to it as eating the flesh of your dead brother, and it has been mentioned in the Hadith Shareef that Rasoolullah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Sallam said, Abstain from Gheebat (backbiting/slander), for Gheebat is more harmful than adultery (Zina). It sometimes happens that an adulterer (Zaani) sincerely repents, so Allah accepts his repentance; but the one who commits Gheebat will not be forgiven, until the person whom he has backbitten, does not forgive him. [This has been reported by Ibn Abid Danya in Dham Al Ghaybah and Abush Shaykh has reported in it At Tawbeekh from Jaabir bin Abdullah and Abu Saeed Khudri (Radi Allahu taaala Anhum). [Ref: Al Ghaybah Wa Al Nameema which is a Manuscript from the Manuscripts of Ibn Abid Danya, Hadith 35 Vol.2 Pg.42] Similarly, it is forbidden to slander (backbite about) any Muslim who is even ignorant. Rasoolullah said, Everything belonging to a Muslim is Haraam upon (another Muslim). His wealth, His Dignity and his blood (i.e.
to harm him in any way is forbidden). For a person to be regarded as a
bad (immoral) person, it is sufficient that he may look down on his fellow Muslim brother (i.e. belittle him). [Sahih Muslim Vol.2 Pg.317] Similarly, to swear at an ignorant Muslim without a valid reason of the Shariah is Haraam e Qatai. The Beloved Rasool said, To swear at a Muslim is a major sin. This has been reported by Imam Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Nasai, Ibn Majah and Haakim from Ibn Masud . [Sahih Muslim Vol.1 Pg.58; Jaame Tirmizi Vol.2 Pg.19; Sunan Ibn Majah Pg.291] Rasoolullah said, The person who swears at a Muslim is like that person who will soon be ruined. [Imam Ahmed and Bazzaar have reported it from Abdullah ibn Amr with a good merit] [At Targheeb Wat Tarheeb with ref to Bazzaar Vol.3 Pg.467] Rasoolullah said, One who has hurt a Muslim has hurt me, and one who has hurt me, has displeased Allah. [Imam Tabrani reported this with a Hassan merit in Al Awsat from Hazrat Anas ] [Al Mujam Al Awsat, Hadith 3633, Vol.4 Pg.373] If this is the ruling concerning the ordinary (general) Muslims, then the status of the Ulama is even more elevated. It has been mentioned in the Hadith that Rasoolullah said, None other than a Munafiq (hypocrite) will look down on Ulama (i.e. belittle them). [Tabrani reported it in Kabeer from Abu Umama ] [Al Mujam Al Kabeer, Hadith 7819, Vol.8 Pg.238]
In another Hadith Rasoolullah said, None will belittle their status,
except for a Munafiq (hypocrite). [Abush Shaykh has reported it in At Tawbeekh from Hazrat Jaabir bin Abdullah Ansaari [ ] Kanzul Ummal with ref to Abush Shaykh, Hadith 43811, Vol.16 Pg.32] Rasoolullah said, One who does not recognise the right of our Aalim, he is not from my Ummah. [Ahmed, Haakim and Tabrani reported it in Kabeer from Ubadah bin Saamit ] [Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal, Vol.5 Pg.323] Now, if the Aalim is being slandered because he is an Aalim, then this is clearly kufr, and if he regards his respect as Fard due to his knowledge, but due to some worldly enmity he slanders him, or swears at him or belittles him, then such a person is a Faasiq (transgressor/sinner). If he has animosity against him without a (valid) reason, then he has a diseased heart, and an evil inner-self, and there is a risk (fear) of him committing kufr. It is mentioned in Khulasa, One who has animosity (enmity) against any Aalim without a reason, there is fear that he will fall into kufr. [Khulasatul Fatawa, Vol.4 Pg.388] It is in Minah Ar Rawdh Al Azhar; It is apparent that he will become a kaafir. [Minah Ar Rawdh Al Azhar Sharah Al Fiqh Al Akbar, Pg. 173]
(East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450_ vol. 21) Paul Milliman-_The Slippery Memory of Men__ The Place of Pomerania in the Medieval Kingdom of Poland-Brill Academic Publishers (.pdf