Naseehah (Advising) and Tajreeh (Disparaging)

The Difference between Naseehah (Advising) and Tajreeh (Disparaging)
The Linguistic and Technical Meaning of the word Naseehah (Advising)

The word “Naseehah” linguistically indicates something that is pure. It means purity from everything that is corrupt. It is said that milk is
Naasih (pure) when it is free of impurity. Therefore the religion that Allah sent to our Prophet Muhammad (may peace & blessings be upon him)
 commands (us to observe) this aspect of Naseehah which is a purity from all that is deceptive, whatever that form of deceit may be. Whether it
occurs in the relations people have, or during counseling sessions, or in their business transactions. Even during their arguments and disputes,
or the rulings given amongst the people all of that is done sincerely without any deceit or its involvement.

Naseehah begins first with Allah which is to believe in Him, and to believe in His names and attributes while worshiping Him the Glorified, the
 Most High, the one who is alone having no partner. This is the meaning of Naseehah to Allah.

Then there is Naseehah to the Book of Allah. It is to believe that the Quran is the speech of Allah the Glorious, the Most High.
To use it as a source of reaching a ruling in order to settle disputes, to adhere to what was revealed within it, to act according to its commands
and to leave that which it prohibits.

Then there is Naseehah to the Messenger of Allah (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) which is to believe in him
(as the final prophet) and to affirm this belief while loving him and obeying him. It is to adhere to what he brought and to abandon all of the
 newly invented matters and innovations that oppose what was revealed to him (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him). This is the
 meaning of Naseehah to the Messenger of Allah (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him).

Then there is Naseehah to the Muslim rulers who are in charge of running the affairs of the people. This is done by listening to them and obeying
 them in goodness without trying to overthrow them. It also includes supplicating for them to have piety and honesty as well as carrying out the
work that they have entrusted the people with from amongst the high ranking officials. So when they entrust those who are reliable with an order
concerning the affairs of the Muslims and they place them in charge of them, then it is obligatory for the ruler to advise them in performing their
 jobs and carrying them out. This includes the princes, the judges, the employees, and the workers, all of those whom the ruler has placed in
positions.
All of them must be given Naseehah by the ruler in order to carry out their work. Just as Naseehah is to be given to the ruler as well in conveying
 what they observe form his shortcomings until he acts based on what he rectified and what he reconciled (of his shortcomings).
This is Naseehah to them (the rulers) and cooperation with them.

Then there is Naseehah to the common Muslim people and that is by spreading love amongst the Muslims and rectifying all forms of discord.
The Most High says: {Fear Allah and rectify all forms of discord amongst yourselves.} Soorat-ul-Anfaal: 1

And the Most High says: {And if two groups from amongst the believers begin to fight with one another then make peace between them both.
 However if one breaks the peace by resuming the differences amongst the two then all of you must fight the group that rebelled until it complies
 with the order of Allah. If they comply then make peace between them in fairness and be just. Indeed Allah loves those who are just.}
 Soorat-ul-Hujuraat: 9 -10

This is the Naseehah that is to be given to the Muslims.

Naseehah also includes enjoining the good and forbidding the evil to whoever falls into that which opposes (the religion) until he returns to the
correct position.

{And the believing men and the believing women are supporters of one another. They enjoin the good and forbid the evil, they establish prayer,
they pay the alms tax, and they obey Allah and His messenger. They are the ones whom Allah will have mercy upon. Indeed Allah is Mighty and
Wise.} Soorat-ut-Tawbah: 71

Therefore enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is Naseehah. How do you watch your brother opposing (the religion) or upon some form of
 disobedience, you harm him and you harm society by not advising one another! You must advise one another and enjoin the good and forbid the
 evil by using wisdom and good admonition. Debating by using good words is best, not by disparaging, condemning, and belittling.
This is not Naseehah rather this is Fadheehah (scandal and controversy): {Indeed those who love that al-Faahishah (filthy vile language,
illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) be spread amongst those who believe, they will suffer a painful punishment in this life and in the hereafter.
And Allah knows but you do not.} Soorat-un-Noor: 19

The Difference between Naseehah (Advising) and Tajreeh (Disparaging)

It is not permissible to broadcast mistakes and to disparage those who have fallen into them and to construct our gatherings upon back biting
and slandering them. Allah has prohibited all of that. The Most High says: {O you who believe do not let a group among you make fun of another
group among you. It may be that those being ridiculed are better than those who ridicule them. Nor allow a group of women among you to ridicule
another group of women among you. It may be that those being ridiculed are better than those who ridicule them.} Soorat-ul-Hujuraat: 11

So perhaps the one being spoken about is better than the one who speaks about him (as Allah says:) {It may be that those being ridiculed are
 better than those who ridicule them. Nor allow a group of women among you to ridicule another group of women among you. It may be that
those being ridiculed are better than those who ridicule them.} Soorat-ul-Hujuraat: 11

The deficiency found in your brother is a deficiency found in you. If you want to rectify this deficiency that has occurred from the ruler or from the
general Muslims then let this Naseehah occur between you and between the one being advised in private. That you sit in a gathering or speak
 on a tape recording or speak upon the pulpit during a sermon and disparage the Muslim rulers or that you disparage your Muslim brothers then
this affair is not permissible. This is not Naseehah. On the contrary this is Fadheehah (scandal and controversy). It is the difference between
Naseehah and Tajreeh (disparagement).

Naseehah is what Allah the Glorious and Most High commands. The Messenger (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) commands it.
It  is (a form of) rectification. As for Tajreeh (disparagement) then it is corruption. It is the difference between corruption and rectification:
{And Allah knows the corrupt person from the one who wants to make peace.} Soorat-ul-Baqarah: 22

The one who desires rectification does not call out his brothers when they fall into mistakes. He does not disparage them or announce their
shortcomings. Rather he must sit with the one being advised or speak to him via the various modes of communication and discuss it privately.
 He may not know about the mistake that he has fallen into. So he is advised of it for the sake of avoiding it and no one is informed of that.
This is the Naseehah which indicates clarity within the souls and love within the hearts. And this will produce rectification to those things which
are corrupt as well as produce mutual brotherhood between the Muslims and the safeguarding used to cover up mistakes. So whoever covers
up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover his in this life and in the hereafter.


Real meanings of Islam
Does the world know the real meanings of Islam, or does it only know the irresponsible behavior of some reckless Muslims?
I think the second question is the most relevant. People living in remote villages in Europe, America, Brazil or Argentina will
not look at Islam academically but rather through the extreme conduct of some Muslims: murder, threats, blowing up trains
and hijacking aircraft. They will not know about Islam from great Muslim scholars, but rather from people like Osama Bin Laden,
Mullah Muhammad Omar, Ayman Al-Zawahri and others whose hands have been soaked in the blood of the innocent.
 I think the first thing we should begin with is to purify the major sources from which the communities come to know about Islam
 being mosques or schools.

The curricula might project a distorted picture of Islam either because they contain extreme and rigid opinions canceling the
other or because they are unable to cope with new developments in the world.

We cannot correct Islam through advertisement and publicity but rather through being a role model in conduct, discipline and good
manners. It is ironic to talk about the tolerance of Islam while some preachers hit girls with sticks and follow young men in our streets.

By doing so we are contradicting ourselves and affirming the already bad picture of Islam. We cannot correct the real understanding
of Islam while we are doing provocative things. This is a truth that many people do not understand.