A Divine & National Principle: Stop Backbiting

In this second installment of the Moorish Divine & National Principle series, where we identify:

  1. That “Backbiting” is: “The act of slandering the absent; secret slander or false accusations”.
  2. That Act 3 of MSTA’s Divine Constitution aligns with Allah’s Quranic prohibition on Backbiting
  3. That Backbiting is the result of spying on other peoples garden for the purpose of finding weeds
  4. That most malevolence, envy, hate, and animosity between two people, began with Backbiting
  5. The Quranic rules on how to deal with Backbiters, and the rights of the person who is Backbitten

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A Divine & National Principle: Stop Backbiting

Let us reflect on our use of the tongue, for “The pen Is mightier than the sword”, and “Life and Death are in the Tongue”. Act 3 of the MSTA Divine Constitution & By-Laws prohibits harming with the tongue, where it states:

“Act 3. – No member is to put in danger or accuse falsely his brother or sister on any occasion at all that may harm his brother or sister, because Allah is Love.”

Act 3’s prohibition from “harming with the tongue” includes a zero-tolerance policy for backbiting. This is a Divine and National principle. According to Websters 1828 dictionary, a “BACKBITER” is “One who slanders, calumniates or speaks ill of the absent”.

This age of social media has fed the carnal vices of vanity, ambition, and empty pride. These carnal vices are the cause of narcistic behavior, and they feed “on the flesh of his (or her) brothers (or sisters) back” (i.e., Backbiting) as a source of narcissistic supply. In other words, these vices are fed by the inclination to spy on your brother’s (or sisters) garden for the sole purpose of finding weeds (not flowers).
However, a “clean and pure nation” of Moorish Moslems will…

…Guard against a sinful-tongue by following these Divine & National Principles:
Avoid being Suspicious, Spreading negative assumptions about people, and Backbiting – at all costs!

QURAN (49:12): “O you who believe, abstain from many of the [negative] suspicions. Some suspicions are sins. And do not be curious (to find out faults of others), and do not backbite one another. Does one of you like that he eats the flesh of his dead brother? No, you would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah. Surely Allah is Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful.

Rebuke backbiters directly, do not spread their news, except to the one wronged by the backbiter. They have the sole right to tell anyone about the backbiting, not you!

Koran (32:4): He [doesn’t condemn] his neighbor; he believeth not the tales of envy and malevolenceneither [does he/she] repeateth he their slanders

QURAN (49:6): “Believers, if a troublemaker brings you news, check it first, in case you wrong others unwittingly and later regret what you have done”

[Takeaway: Screen all news based upon the reliability of its source! Because… ↓]

QURAN (4:148): “Allah does not like the public mention of evil EXCEPT BY THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN WRONGED. And ever is Allah Hearing and Knowing.”

[Takeaway: The one wronged has first-hand knowledge and context for how and why they were wronged — not other people spreading the news!]

Avoid Spying on other’s shortcomings (i.e., “weeds”), Making negative assumptions about people, and Backbiting. This prevents contaminating your own pure heart –

Koran 9:21: “And Jesus said: ‘The proof this day is all against those who have accused. 22. The pure in heart do not accuse. The vile in heart who want to cover up their guilt with holy smoke of piety are ever loathing drunkards, thieves and courtesans… 24. The man who spends his time in pulling other people’s weeds can have no time to pull his own, and all the choicest flowers of life will soon be choked and die, and nothing will remain but darnel, thistles and burs’.”

[Takeaway: An accusation means you don’t have firsthand knowledge! So, avoid accusations; they feed vanity and contaminate a pure heart (= soul). Avoid spying that is akin to picking weeds (vices or failings) in another’s garden. This neglects your own weeds, thus allowing them to grow. Unless someone is harmed, pick your own weeds.]

Check the source of news wisely, discern the truth by understanding all the components that make up the issue, then have confidence to trust your first mind

QURAN (24:12-13): Why didn’t the believers – men and women – when you heard of the affair,- put the best construction on it in their own minds and say, ‘This (charge) is an obvious lie’?”

[Takeaway: After source checking, Allah says to put the best “construction on it”. This means using resolution“Resolution” means: “the act of reducing any compound or combination to its component parts”. In other words, asking yourself key questions that help reveal: “what are the true ingredients, or building blocks, that make up this idea, problem, situation, or circumstance?  You need the building blocks to build a thing. After understanding the building blocks, trust YOUR best construction/ understanding!]

Be firm in your own construction, and stand on it, even if you are the one against many

QURAN (5:8): “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is [fully] Aware of what you do.”

[Takeaway: Being a “witness in justice” means having courage to speak against the crowd! Weak minds think that standing for truth is like “picking sides”. This is wrong. Allah confirms you cannot be Just without discernment and courage to speak truth!]

Concealing your testimony leaves the one who needed it wronged and you with a sin

QURAN (2:283): And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it—his heart is indeed sinful, and Allah is Knowing of what you do.”

[Takeaway: This doubles-down on the point from 5:8 above. See something – Say something. “Enemies made by truth are better than friends made by flattery” – Koran (33:18)]

In Conclusion,

The power of the tongue must be wielded with great responsibility, as it holds the ability to harm or heal. Act 3 of the Moorish Science Temple of America’s Divine Constitution & By-Laws admonishes us to refrain from harming with our words. This aligns with Quranic teachings that condemn backbiting and false accusations. In this age of social media, where vanity and ambition can easily lead to harmful behavior, it is crucial to guard our hearts and minds against these vices. By adhering to the principles outlined—avoiding backbiting, seeking the truth with discernment, standing firm in justice, and not concealing testimony—we can cultivate a clean and pure nation. Anyone who refuses to reform – They are Not like Us. Let us commit to uplifting and protecting with our words, ensuring that our actions reflect the Creed: Love, Truth, Peace, Freedom, and Justice.

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