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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Suspicion ============= One of the other vices, which creates division among Muslims and will cause backbiting, slander and telling lies and will ruin human beings, is suspicion. Moralists have said: This vice shows a man’s inner evil nature. When a person is wicked, he has the impression that others are wicked too. How can a person possibly guess that his friend’s words and behaviors are hypocritical?

How can he pass such a judgment when he cannot read other people’s minds? Sometimes, we can get to know the inner feeling of a person through indications, yet it is very difficult. How do we know that we are right? How do we know that we have not made a mistake? How do we know that we have not been tempted by Satan who is always in ambush to create division among Muslims, to create enmity and to mislead human beings?

It is for the same reason that God says: “And follow not that of which you have not the knowledge; surely the hearing, and the sight and the heart, all of these, shall be questioned about that.” [^1] Therefore, no one has the right to be suspicious of others. Man should never allow his thoughts to go unrestrained. He should always observe Taqwa in relation to suspicion. In this relation, God has said: “O you who believe!

Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin.” [^2] Nevertheless, the Lord of the universe has not forbidden every suspicion, for in certain conditions, it is good and even recommended like having a good opinion of God, of people, of religious rules and fatwas. The occultation of Imam Mahdi (AS) is an example. The only kind of suspicion, which has been prohibited and it requires Taqwa, is one’s suspicion of God and people.

Imam Ali (AS) has been reported by Imam Baqir (AS) as saying: “Assume what your brother says as true. Never suspect him when there is a reason for good intention.”[^3] The Messenger of Allah (SAW) has been reported as saying: “God Almighty has forbidden shedding the blood of a Muslim, seizing his property and being suspicion of him.”[^4] In Kashf al-Ghummah, Shaqeeq al-Balkhi has been reported as saying: “In the year forty-nine (A.H.), I went to perform the Hajj.

When I reached Qadissiyyah, I noticed that many people were on the way to the Hajj. My look was cast on a good-looking thin young man with a dark face. He was wearing a woolen garment with a cloak on it, wearing sandals and withdrawing from people.