Do not Become a Sinner Pointing Out Sins of Others

One sister told a story which happened to her during Ramadan:

“It was one of the blessed days in the month Ramadan. I enjoyed the time and was very proud of myself that I was fasting and I had not broken a single day of fast yet. A unique atmosphere of unity was all around; young and old, rich and poor were fasting together and all were equal.

That day I was walking along the street with my relative. The day was hot and we already started feeling thirsty and a little bit hungry. Suddenly I noticed a young Muslim lady in one of the parked cars. She was sitting alone on the back sit eating something.

“She is eating while she is alone and her relatives don’t see,” was my first thought.

I shook my head in disapproval.

“How is that?” I thought. “A Muslim is eating in Ramadan!” My heart was full of indignation about her. “Is not it hypocrisy to eat while no one sees? Does not she know that fasting is for Allah and He sees everything what we do? How do these people live without fear of Allah? Is it a behavior of a Muslim in Ramadan?”

I kept deprecating her till I reached home.

 However, in the evening I was sitting thinking about that young lady and suddenly, I felt very guilty…I did not know anything about her. Why did I judge her? What if my supposition that she ate in hiding was wrong? What if I had been mistaken? There could be so many reasons why she did not fast: she could be pregnant, she could be in that special period of month when women do not pray and do not fast, she could be ill, etc. She was my sister in Islam first of all and I could seek excuses for her instead of accusing her without due grounds. How could I allow my heart to come down on her without knowing her reasons?  Really, I was afraid that I possibly made a wrong accusation. I felt ashamed of myself and prostrated asking Allah for forgiveness.

Since then, I understood what it meant to safeguard thoughts in Ramadan. By pointing out sins of others, which possibly did not exist, I could commit a sin myself! Since then, I started thinking before making wrong accusations against other Muslims.”