Gareth Bryant Writes

There’s a Fellow-Muslim, whom I was very Cool with, whom had died (May Allah mercify&forgive them). Sadly, for a Long-Time, their Reputation was unjustly stained: they were publicly accused of an Ithm/Sin which till This-Day hasn’t been confirmed to be truthful/honest. It had gotten so bad, that this Muslim-Person stopped coming to the Masjid, all because they were accused of a Harām/Prohibited-Action without Evidence. It’s literally a Karramah (Non-Prophetic Miracle) from Allah, that they even received their Rightful Janāzah/Islāmic-Burial Rites. I say all of this, because, it’s utterly important for us as Muslims: stop accusin People o Shit we know can’t be proven. And, if we can actually prove the Harām-Actions of Others:

a. How do we know this?!!!

b. Why do we know this?!!!

c. Why didn’t we try to stop it?!!!

d. Why’re we spreading it?!!!

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-colorado-crime-acquittal/denver-man-jailed-28-years-for-rape-based-on-victims-dream-found-innocent

https://fb.watch/nkfC8hsdBp/?mibextid=Nif5oz

Socio-Political Commentator Candace Owens: they blatantly accused Briggitte Macron (Wife of French-President Macron) of being a Male-Transformer. Literally, one of Owens’-Arguments was that Briggett Macron “looks like their Brother”.

Sadly, we dwell in a World where Defamation-Of-Character has become the Order of the Day. It’s literally something which Certain-People enjoy doing. All the Time, via Online, Media, Social-Media, Word-Of-Mouth, etc.: Others are celebrating People’s Names being dragged through the Mud, as though they’re “Perfect” (flawless, sinless, etc.). This stands as a True-Pathology amobgst Humanity, and the Fact that there exists People whom care not that they defame Others is a Serious-Problem. One of the Actual-Reasons for this: we thirst inherently to make ourselves “Innocent”, at the Expense of making Others “Guilty”.

Establishing Facts, pertaining to what anyone relates, is directly/overtly entrenched within Islāmic-Theology. Yet, sadly, via Human-Nature: People holistically have a Significant-Propensity to be untruthful/dishonest, concerning Things they tell. They do so because, as Humans naturally are, none of us actually want to be “Wrong”. But, this unwating to be Wrong comes with a Hefty Spiritual-Pricetag if/when we slander/defame Others. And, the Price for al-Buhtān/al-Humazah (Slander/Defamation) is never worth paying. Dreadfully though, not enough of us Humans operate via as-Sihah/Authenticity requiring us to always do the Right-Thing. Doing the Right-Thing is something which mustn’t/shouldn’t ever be taken lightly/trivially.
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.5, V.8; Chpt.49, V.6&12; Chpt.103; Chpt.104; al-Kabā’ir/Major-Sins, adh-Dhahabī)

As a Chaplain (Counselor/Therapist): I must deal with al-Waswās (Deceit/Deception) all the Time, relative to those whom I professionally serve. I’ve literally had to conduct Conflict-Resolutions, Interventions, etc. regarding the Most-Hideous/Heinous Scenarious between Fellow-Humans. And, via Those-Scenarios: I’ve been able to assess/identify that there’s Certain-Persons whom only believe in telling their Truth, as opposed to the Truth. Worse than that: there’s Certain-Persons whom outright tell Lies, exclusively to make themselves seem like a “Victim” & Others seem like the “Villain”. Moreoften than not, as per my Chaplaincy-Profession…I’m typically/usually the Anti-Hero. While attempting to always be Just (via attempting to always be Objective): I very often, more than I’d like to, acquire Enemies only because I’m deliberate about not being a “Side-Taker”. This is truly crucial, because, it’s literally humanly impossible to be Just, if one is Non-Objective (Subjective, Biased, etc.)

It’s never a Good-Thing, it’s never OK, it’s never Islāmically-Acceptable, etc. to purposely pontificate/claim Things we know we don’t have Knowledge of. Also, equally, it’s just as wrong/incorrect, if not worse, to not care whether what we pontificate/claim is falsified. As I always tell People: Apathy is worse than Ignorance.

Using myself as an Example: I’ve most definitely had my Share of being a Victim/Casualty of al-Buhtān/al-Humazah. I’ve had People accuse me of some of the Most-Grotesque/Heinous Things humanly imaginable. Ironically, Things which anyone whom actually knows anything about me and/or knows me personally that there’s 0-Way that I’d actually do what I’ve been accused of. I’ve even been accused of Negative-Things publicly, which quite honestly is severely embarrassing by the way. So, Yes…I definitely know what it’s like, how it feels to have my Character/Reputation attacked/violated.

This is precisely how/why I’m so careful to not indulge in Gossip-Culture, Cancel-Culture, Rumor-Spreading, etc. I know via Personal Life-Experience how destructive Those-Things are. I’ve literally gotten into Arguments, Fights, Beefs, ended Friendships, cut-off Relatives, etc. because of People making Accusations without Evidence.

Gareth Bryant