O you who believe! Refrain from excessive speculation—˹for˺ some speculation is sinful^[1]

Explaining why certain types of suspicion have been declared sinful in this noble verse, Imām Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes: “Sometimes a person’s action may appear bad outwardly, but in reality, it is not so. It is possible that the person did it out of forgetfulness, or perhaps the one observing is himself mistaken.”^[2]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                          صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

The Worshipper and the Sinner from Banī Isrā'īl

A very sinful person from Banī Isrā'īl once passed by a great worshipper whose head was shaded by a cloud. The sinner thought to himself: “I am among the most sinful of the Banī Isrā'īl, and this is a great worshipper. If I sit near him, I hope that Allah Almighty will have mercy on me as well.” Thinking this, he sat beside the worshipper.

The worshipper found his presence extremely displeasing. He thought: “How can a person like this, a grave sinner, sit next to someone like me, a devout worshipper?” Out of arrogance, he addressed the man with contempt and told him to leave.

Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed to the Prophet of that era عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم: “Tell them both to begin their deeds anew. I have forgiven the sinner because of his good opinion, and I have ruined the deeds of the worshipper because of his pride.”^[3]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                          صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد