Finding fault with others

Allah Ta'ala does not like revealing somebody’s flaws.  An oppressed person is permitted to do so, as there is no way out without revealing it.

 

A human being should be forever aware of his (or her) own defects.  We don’t know our fault that is why we are busy in finding faults with others.

 

Son!  First look into your own faults, why do you want to worry about others’ faults?  We should not reveal others’ faults.

 

It is mentioned in the Hadith that if a person conceals the faults of his brother, then in Qiyamah, Allah Ta'ala will conceal his faults.  If a person reveals the faults of a Muslim, Allah Ta'ala will reveal his faults.

 

Those who reveal others’ faults are given the same requital in this world as well.  They are humiliated and debased even though they may be sitting in their own houses.

 

When faulted, one should think whether this fault is really present in us or not.  If it is not there, we should thank Allah Ta'ala for this.  If this fault is there, then we should remove it and thank the other person that you have made me realize a hidden fault of mine, which I had not known.

 

Hadhrat Bayazeed Bustami (May Allah Ta'ala shower His mercy on him) says that a person reaches perfection when he realizes his flaws and permits people to describe them.

 

Look at the sincerity and deeds of others cursorily.  If anything seems good, then consider it good only.  Leave the inward state (Batin) to Allah Ta'ala.  Don’t be unduly strict in social matters as it will create enmity and malice in people’s hearts.

 

In spite of having thousands of flaws themselves, man laughs at others’ faults.  This is really bad.  Instead of laughing at others, if he had cried on his own lot a little bit, then he would have been saved in Qiyamah and would not have been embroiled in difficulties in this world as well.

 

Human beings should always be mindful of their own sins, but our condition is that we can't see our own fault and busy ourselves with finding fault with others.

 

When plague or some other epidemic spreads, then we say:  Why should plague not come?  Just look at the deeds of others.  If someone is being cautious, then he would say:  May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on us.  What all deeds are we involved in?  Again others only are implied here.  You might never have heard somebody saying:  My actions/deeds are themselves bad.  There are flaws in me and this epidemic is because of this reason.  Whenever we wonder, we wonder about the deeds of others.  Thus, there are 2 lists before us, one of our good deeds and the other of others’ bad deeds.

 

Son!  First analyze yourself in detail and look closely.  Then you will realize the flaws that are there in you.  With what conviction should we consider ourselves clean and pure?  The great saints always would look at their own faults.  The saints, the Sahabah and the Prophets (May peace be upon them), in spite of being innocent, never considered their Self (Nafs) to be pure.

 

Hadhrat Sa’eed Bin Al Musayyib says:

 

There is no one in whom there is no fault, but there are some people for whom not describing their faults is better.  This because whose good exceeds the bad, his bad will be ignored because of the good in that person.

 

Hadhrat Ali (May Allah Ta'ala be well pleased with him) says:

 

Don’t find fault with others.  It is possible that that person may be pardoned.  Don’t be unafraid about even the minor sins of your Self, maybe that you will be declared liable to be punished because of them.

 

 [Mawaaiz-e-Hasana, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 277-280]