Sound Advices

“Just as it is important for an Aalim or a leader to safeguard their accomplishments, they also need to guard against people thinking evil of them. Even if their bad opinion of you is unfounded, you must make every effort to get rid of it because such opinions hamper the progress of Da’wah since people will give no regard to what you say.”139

Rasulullaah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم  warned that a person must even avoid any places or situations that may lead to people forming a bad opinion of one. In fact, although Rasulullaah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم  was free of all sin, he was cautious not to allow anyone to get a wrong impression of him. When he was once talking to one of his wives and someone walked by, Rasulullaah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم  called for the man and informed him that the lady was his wife (Hadhrat Ummu Salamah رضي الله عنها ). This was to avoid any suspicions forming in the person’s mind.

It was also with the intention of clearing people’s minds from suspicion that Hadhrat Yusuf عليه السلام refused to leave the prison until the women cleared his name.

The Qur’aan states, “When the messenger came to Yusuf عليه السلام, he told him, ‘Return to your master and ask him what is the condition of the women who cut their hands. Indeed my Rabb is well aware of their plot’”.