In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب ستر عورات المسلمين والنهي عن إشاعتها لغير ضرورة
Chapter on covering the Muslims’ faults and prohibition of publicizing them without a significant need to do so.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/185
Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Indeed, those who love to see indecency spread among the believers will suffer a painful punishment in this life and the Hereafter. Allah knows and you do not know.
Surat al-Nur 24:19
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا يَسْتُرُ عَبْدٌ عَبْدًا فِي الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
A servant does not cover the faults of another servant in the world but that Allah will cover his faults on the Day of Resurrection.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2590, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
كُلُّ أُمَّتِي مُعَافًى إِلَّا الْمُجَاهِرِينَ وَإِنَّ مِنْ الْمُجَاهَرَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ الرَّجُلُ بِاللَّيْلِ عَمَلًا ثُمَّ يُصْبِحَ وَقَدْ سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُولَ يَا فُلَانُ عَمِلْتُ الْبَارِحَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَقَدْ بَاتَ يَسْتُرُهُ رَبُّهُ وَيُصْبِحُ يَكْشِفُ سِتْرَ اللَّهِ عَنْهُ
Everyone from my nation will be forgiven except those who sin in public. Among them is a man who commits an evil deed in the night that Allah has hidden for him, then in the morning he says, ‘O people, I have committed this sin!’ His Lord had hidden it during the night, but in the morning he reveals what Allah has hidden.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6069, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا زَنَتْ أَمَةُ أَحَدِكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنَ زِنَاهَا فَلْيَجْلِدْهَا الْحَدَّ وَلَا يُثَرِّبْ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ إِنْ زَنَتْ فَلْيَجْلِدْهَا الْحَدَّ وَلَا يُثَرِّبْ ثُمَّ إِنْ زَنَتِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَتَبَيَّنَ زِنَاهَا فَلْيَبِعْهَا وَلَوْ بِحَبْلٍ مِنْ شَعَرٍ
If one of your servant girls commits adultery and her adultery has been proven, then she should be lashed and afterward nobody should blame her. If she commits adultery again, then she should be lashed and nobody should blame her. If she commits adultery a third time and her adultery has been proven, then she should be sold even for the price of a rope.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2234, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Huraira reported: A man was brought to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, for drinking wine. The Prophet said:
اضْرِبُوهُ
Strike him.
Some of us struck him with our hands, others with their shoes, and others with their shirts twisted into a lash. When we finished, someone said to him, “May Allah disgrace you!” The Prophet said:
لَا تَقُولُوا هَكَذَا لَا تُعِينُوا عَلَيْهِ الشَّيْطَانَ
Do not speak like this. Do not help Satan against him.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6777, Grade: Sahih
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: In the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, there was a man named Abdullah who was nicknamed ‘Donkey,’ and he would make the Prophet laugh. The Prophet lashed him for drinking wine, and one day the man was brought again and the Prophet ordered him to be lashed. Another man among the people said, “O Allah, curse him! How many times has he been brought?” The Prophet said:
لَا تَلْعَنُوهُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ إِنَّهُ يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
Do not curse him. By Allah, I know that he loves Allah and His Messenger.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6780, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
