Year Nineteen
Issue No. 953 - 29/Ramadan/1432 AH
Corresponding to August 30, 2011 AD

Contents
* Mihrab Platform:
A scandalmonger is complicit in the same crime

* Mihrab Platform:
A scandalmonger is complicit in the same crime

Main Axes of the subject:

1- What does scandals publish mean?
2- Scandals publish destroys the society.
3- Inhibiting scandals publish.
4- Interdicting the authenticity of bad news on the believers.
5- A scandalmonger must be held complicit.

Purpose:

We will explain how scandals publish or responding to a scandalmonger can mirror negative results on the individuals and the society as well as we will show how Islam exerted efforts in order to prevent scandals publish among the believers.

Exporting the subject:

Imam al Sadiq (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "He, who says in his brother that which his eyes have seen and his ears have heard, will be one of those about whom God (The Exalted) said: 'Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believers, will have a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter'."¹

"Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believers, will have a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: God knows, and ye know not."²

What does scandals publish mean?

Al Raghib said: "Obscenity, enormity and indecency are the worst acts and say-ings… "Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believ-ers…"³

And "because man is a social being, the human society in which he lives has its sanctity that must not be lesser than his own. Besides, the purity of one must help maintain the purity of the other, and the ugliness of one will find its way to the other. Based on this principle, Islam has extremely fought any act that can spread poison within the community. This issue resembles the crime of publishing scandal broad-cast that was mentioned by the verses of the Quran. It is like the fire that engulfs the dry stalks. Therefore, if we take it from place to place it will burn everyone and no man will be able at that time to control and distinguish it."⁴

Therefore, one of the meanings of the term obscenity leads to "publishing scandal broadcast."

- Scandals publish destroys the society:

When individuals of a certain society are resistant to shameful deeds, which they neither commit nor brag about them, but they magnify and deem them horrible as well as they degrade alienate their committer– a society of this kind is a society that maintains its outer core secure against the spreading of atrocities.

At the same time, publishing scandals can destroy the immunity of the society and the soundness of its outer core. It can also result in encouraging the individuals to commit shameful deeds, brag about them and deem them small, where social regards and recognitions would be lost and no punishment would be expected for such deeds. This will destroy the purity and clarity of the society as well as eliminate the psychological and social barriers, paving the way to wrongdoing and facilitating one's involvement.

- Inhibiting scandals publish

Islam inhibited man from listening to news about the forbidden deeds that believ-ers and Moslems might commit, whether this took place through credible intermedi-ates, or caught directly by the eyes or ears without intermediary.

Imam Abu Abdullah (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "He, who speaks about a believer that which his eyes have seen and his ears have heard, is one of those about whom God (The Exalted) said: "Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believers, will have a grievous penalty…"⁵

On the other hand, Islam raised its children obliging them to conceal the flaws or anything that can dishonor the believer, never to be disclosed or published.

For instance, Abu Jaafar II (Imam al Jawad (a.s.)) was quoted as saying: "A be-liever must conceal seventy gravities relating to the other believer."⁶

Publishing issues that dishonor the believer - as it is a scandal published broadcast among the believers - is also backbiting of the believers. God has warned us about backbiting.

For example, Abdul Rahman Bin Sayyabah quoted Imam al Sadiq (a.s.) saying: "Backbiting is when you say about your brother something that God concealed for him."⁷

In other words, this act is formed of two grave sins, one is backbiting of the be-liever, and the second is publishing scandal broadcast among the believers. God has promised punishment for both gravities, let alone the resulting social prejudice.

- Interdicting the authenticity of bad news about the believers:

Islam did not stop at forbidding the broadcasting of ignominy and disgraceful news about the believers but also considered them as backbiting and publishing scandal broadcast among the believers – considering this news as seen by the eyes and heard by the ears. The accounts also, quoting the inerrant and virtuous household of the prophet (PBUH &HH), incited us to deny these news while accept the believer's own words, even though the exchangers were credible and trustworthy, and even if they swore the truth on what they were telling.

For instance, Mohammad Bin al Fadil – after saying may I protect you with all my being, sometimes I hear about a brother of mine disgraceful news with him denying it although I hear it from trustworthy people – quoted Abu al Hassan I (Imam Moussa al Kazim (a.s.)) replying: "O Mohammad, deny your ears and eyes regarding your brother. Even if fifty people with a sworn testimony said something you instead, must believe him and deny their saying. Never disclose something that can dishonor him and destroy his magnanimity, which will categorize you under the following verse of God's words: "Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believers, will have a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter."⁸

- A scandalmonger is a complicit in the same crime

The aforementioned tell us that Islam has closed all doors against any positive reaction with the scandalmongers and against any negative reaction towards the ac-cused. Moreover, the accounts that reached us from the infallible Imams (a.s.) read that the broadcaster of the scandalous news is a complicit in two crimes: scandal publishing and taking partnership in the same scandal.

The accounts read that the noblest Prophet (s.a.a.w)⁹ said: "A scandalmonger is like the one who commits it."¹⁰

Examples of partnership in spreading and committing ignominy:

1- Establishing centers of corruption.
2- Providing means of wrongdoing to the people and encouraging them to commit them.
3- The overt perpetration of ignominy without giving regards to the religious and social values as well as public ethics.¹¹

1- Amali al Saddouq, P. 276, H. 16.
2- Holy Quran, The Light, Verse 19.
3- Al Mufradat Fee Gharib al Quran, by al Raghib al Asfahani, P. 273-374, from book Alfa'a.
4- Al Amthal, an interpretation of the Holy Quran, by Ayatollah Sheikh Nassir Makarim al Sherazi, Vol. 11, P. 51-52, summa-rized.
5- Al Kafi, by Mohammad Bin Ya'acoub al Kolaini, Vol. 2, P. 266, H. 2. The same explanation was transcribe by al Saddouq in his book al Amali, P, 276. Also mentioned by Ali Bin Ibrahim in the interpretation of al Qummi, Vol. 2, P. 76. Also al Mofid mentioned it in his book al Ekhtisas, P. 227.
6- Al Kafi, Vol. 2, P. 165, H. 8.
7- Ma'ani al Akhbar, by Sheikh al Saddouq, P. 184, H. 1.
8- Thawab al A'amal, by sheikh al Saddouq, quoted from al Thiqlain interpretation by al Huwaizi, Vol. 3, P. 582. Also al Kafi, Vol. 8, P. 147, H. 125.
9- (s.a.a.w): Abbreviation for salla allahu alaihi wa alihi, which means God sends blessing on him and his household.
10- Al Kafi, Vol. 2, infamy chapter.
11- Tafsir al Amthal, Vol. 11, P. 52-53, summarized and categorized.