Just a reminder for us all.

Asalaamu Alaikam,

It seems that lying and backbiting goes unchecked, especially on the Internet, where people seem to have this illusion that what happens on here is not to ever be equated with "real life." It is very important for us all to remember that the Internet is "real life," and there should be no distinction between how we act on here as opposed to how we act when we are actually face to face with someone. Although you may not be looking at me right now, you should never doubt for a moment that I am a real live human being, typing these words on my computer. I do not doubt that you, too, are a real live human being as you sit there and read these same words, although I may never actually see you reading them. We are still obligated to treat each other with respect and dignity. We are also not permitted to lie or backbite about one another.

I have recently been the victim of a lie. Someone accused me wrongly of something, and I am disturbed by this. What disturbs me the most is that I am pretty sure that the person who lied about me was a person who acted as though they were a "friend." Although I do not know their motives behind the lying (and to be honest, it really doesn't matter; a lie is a lie, and a sin, no matter what the "motive" may be. There's no way around it.), I am wondering how they now feel about their actions. Do they feel as though they accomplished whatever goal they had in mind? Do they feel fulfilled in any way? Or, do they now feel guilty, and empty inside?

I cannot imagine that one could ever feel fulfilled after telling a lie against someone else. Deep inside, they must understand and recognize that they have committed a sin, and that has got to eat at them, if even a little. If one is not bothered by their false action, then I wonder what sort of person they are.....

Anyways, here's some reminders for us, taken from the Quran and Sunnah, about lying and backbiting:

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicions are a sin. Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it, [so similarly, avoid backbiting]. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an, [49:12]

"Indeed, truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Heaven. And, a man [continues to] tell the truth, until he is recorded before Allah as a truthful one. And, indeed, lying leads to evil, and evil leads to Hell. And, a man [continues to] lie until he is recorded before Allah as a liar. [Bukhari, Muslim]

And here's some reminders of why we must do all that we can when we see someone being victimized:

"Whoever is present while a Muslim is humiliated before him, and is able to assist him [and yet does not], Allah will humiliate him before [all of] creation." [Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/487; Suyuti in Al-Jami` As-Saghir, 2/510, #8375]

"Whoever protects a believer from a hypocrite, Allah will send to him an angel to protect him from the Fire of Hell on the Day of Arising. [Abu Dawud in al-Adab, 4/272, #4883]

"Whoever averts [an attack] from the honor of his brother, Allah will avert the fire from his face on the Day of Arising." [Tirmidhi (hasan)]

"Insulting a Muslim is impiety, and killing him is [a form of] unbelief." [Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, Tabarani, Daraqutni.]

It is our duty, as Muslims, to ensure that people are not wrongly accused or attacked. When we do not do what we can to help someone being attacked, it is as though we have attacked them ourself.

Above all, we should always remember that nothing is ever hidden from Allah, and everything we do is recorded:

"He does not utter a [single] word, except that there is, with him, [an angel] ready and waiting [to record it]." Qur'an, [50:18]