Whispers from Satan: The Danger of Secret Conversations

“Secret conversations are from Satan.” Surah Al-Mujadalah (58), 10. Necvâ , meaning to speak secretly or whisper, was a practice among the enemies of Islam at the beginning of Islam. They would gather and whisper secret things. Despite being forbidden, they continued to converse in secret regarding sinning, hostility, and opposition to the Prophet (peace be upon him), as mentioned in verse eight of the same surah. Their intention is explicitly stated in verse ten: “to distress the believers.” Satan’s work is inherently to distress, mislead, and lead astray the believers. However, “Satan cannot harm unless Allah permits it.” Therefore, believers must trust and rely on Allah. Islam is a religion that places great importance on social etiquette. The regulation and management of human relations play a significant role in the formation of a civilized society. Therefore, the speech and actions of Muslims should be positive and beneficial, whether open or secret. Just as stated in verse nine of Surah Al-Mujadalah: “O you who believe! When you converse secretly, let not some of you whisper to others; and do not backbite nor speak evil concerning those absent from among you. Say good things and fear Allah.” Although the verse primarily addresses the believers during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), or as indicated by some commentators, it refers to hypocrites who appear to be believers, its call is for all Muslims. Hadith 1602. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Three people should not converse secretly while the others are present.” Bukhari, Istizaan 45; Muslim, Salam 36; Also see Abu Dawud, Adab The Narrator 24; Ibn Maja, Adab. Abu Dawood narrated the hadith with the following addition (Adab 24): The narrator, Abu Salih, said: I asked Ibn Umar, “What if there are four people?” He replied, “Then it is not objectionable.” Imam Malik narrates in Muwatta (Speech 13, 14) that Abdullah ibn Dinār said: One day, I was with Ibn Umar at Khalid ibn al-Walid’s house in the market. A man came and wanted to speak privately with Ibn Umar while I was present. So, Ibn Umar immediately called another person, making us four people in the house. Ibn Umar said to me and the person he called, “You two stay together for a while. For I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: ‘Three people should not converse secretly while the others are present.’” 1603 hadith will explain this. 1603. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When three people are together, let them not converse secretly until they mix with others (i.e., include the third person).” Bukhari, Istizaan 47; Muslim, Salam 37, 38; Also see Abu Dawud, Adab 24; Tirmidhi, Adab 59; Ibn Maja, Adab 50. Explanation When two people converse secretly in front of a third person, it causes discomfort and suspicion to the excluded individual. They may suspect that something negative is being planned about them or simply feel hurt for not being included in the conversation. Such behavior leads to coldness and distrust among those present. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has informed us that such conduct is inconsistent with Islamic social norms and forbidden it. Imam Malik and Nawawi hold the view that this prohibition is in the sense of being haram (forbidden). However, let us immediately point out that there is no objection to secret conversations made with the permission of the third person. Similarly, if more than three people are present in a gathering and they converse privately among themselves excluding others, the ruling remains the same; it is forbidden. Furthermore, speaking in a language unknown to one of the individuals in a gathering is also considered as whispering secretly because it causes discomfort and suspicion. Ibn Umar, -may Allah be pleased with him- has practically demonstrated how the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) advice should be followed. When a person came to him wanting a private meeting, he immediately called another person who was already present so that he would not leave his friend alone, and said, “You two stay together for a while,” thus taking precautions and having his private conversation. He showed this as the reason for his behavior, citing the Messenger of Allah’s (peace be upon him) saying: “Three people should not converse secretly while the others are present.” The phrase “until they mix with others” in the second hadith was realized by Ibn Umar by calling another person. This is another way of mixing with people. Especially in the early years of Islam, secret conversations and gestures among non-Muslims gave the impression that they were planning something about Muslims, which deeply saddened the Muslims. The situation remains the same today. Some individuals and institutions have not changed their behavior at all. It is certainly inappropriate for Muslims to apply what they find burdensome to others. What We Learned from Hadith Our religion places great importance on social etiquette. It requires friendship, openness, and transparency. To converse secretly while excluding someone is inconsistent with Islamic manners and forbidden. ⟫BOLUM⟫PROHIBITION OF EXCESSIVE AND UNWARRANTED PUNISHMENT PROHIBITION THE PROHIBITION OF PENALIZING A SERVANT, ANIMAL, WOMAN, AND CHILD WITHOUT A LEGITIMATE REASON OR EXCEEDING THE LIMITS OF DISCIPLINE