What Islam says about "Harming Others"

[ummtaalib]

 

Ibn Majah, ad-Daraqutnee and others. It was also related by Malik in al-Muwatta

 

This Hadith of our Prophet    صلى الله عليه وسلّم  tells us we should not be the cause of any harm and nor should it be reciprocated. It is not just physically harming people but includes every form of harm.

 

• Wasiyyah (will) – if a person has some money and he wants to give it to someone who is no related to him. He is allowed but he must not exceed the limits (one third). If he exceeds the limits, he will cause harm to the immediate inheritors.

• Marriage and relationship between husband and wife. As stated in Surah Al-Baqarah Ayah 231 – someone divorces his wife and then he reconciles with her, but his intention in reconciliation is so that he can cause her harm. ·

• Traveling or being away from the family for a long time and without a good reason – this can cause harm to the wife and family.

• Breastfeeding – in the case of divorce, the husband tries to take the baby away from the mother and not allow her to feed him. This is prohibited. [See Surah Al-Baqarah : Ayah 233]

• Selling and trading – when someone is in great need of something, the seller (who knows this) sells him at a very high price – this is not allowed.

• Someone who wants to buy is not good at bargaining, and because of this the seller sells at a very high price, more than it is worth.

• Burning rubbish on your property on a windy day. This will cause harm to your neighbours. It may cause harm to the environment and the people in the neighbouring countries. This kind of harm should be brought to an end.

• Building a high building, as mentioned above. Building a high building where it will obstruct air, sunlight, and moonlight, is not allowed because it will cause harm.

• Digging a well that will cause damage to the well of one’s neighbour. If one needs to dig a well, he should position it a little further away from his neighbour’s.

• Behaving on one’s property in a way that will harm his neighbours.

• Causing bad smell to spread from one’s property to his neighbours.