Nameemah in Islam (malicious gossip) you must know

Nameemah in Islam: Meaning, Consequences, and Punishment

This article will look at nameemah and its consequences

What is Nameemah in Islam? is Gossiping sin?

• The word nameemah means to say things about people so that others will hate them. Nameemah refers to the act of spreading information—true or false—with the intent to cause enmity between people. It’s an act of division and destruction, often driven by jealousy or the desire to stir conflict.
  Let’s simplify with an example: Three friends—Bilaal, Hasan, and Daawood. Bilaal tells Hasan that Daawood spoke badly of him. Then, he goes to Daawood and tells him that Hasan insulted him. This results in both becoming angry at each other. Bilaal has just performed nameemah, and by doing so, he’s earned the title of a nammaam (for men) or nammaamah (for women).
  This example shows how Bilaal has done nameemah between two people.
  He is called a nammaam and a woman doing nameemah is called a nammaamah. Nameemah can be saying something which is the truth or spreading lies.
  It can involve two people or more.
  It can be done by speaking, writing, imitating or in any other way that can cause people to hate each other. Nameemah is going around with the intention of causing people to hate each other by revealing secrets. If what is said is a lie, then it is worse than the nameemah which contains the truth.

Forms of Nameemah

Nameemah doesn’t require lies to be harmful. It can be:

• Speaking truth with malicious intent
• Spreading outright falsehoods
• Written messages or texts
• Gestures or mimicry that incite hatred

This toxic act can be executed with words, texts, symbols, or any medium capable of transmitting harmful content between people.

Nameemah in Hadith: Serious Warnings

Islam treats nameemah as a grave sin. Its punishment is explicitly mentioned in various authentic Hadith.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told the Companions that the nammaam and nammaamah will be punished in Hell: Hudhayfah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said

“A nammaam will not enter Paradise.” (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

لا يدخل الجنة نمام

This hadeeth means that a Muslim person who commits nameemah will be punished in Hell first before being allowed to enter Paradise.

Punishment in the Grave for Nameemah

To further emphasize the sin of nameemah, the Prophet ﷺ described how the person who spreads nameemah will be punished in the grave. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas narrated the following hadeeth:
Once the Prophet ﷺ , while passing through one of the graveyards of Al-Madeenah or Makkah, heard the voices of two people who were being punished in their graves.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “These two persons are being punished not for a major sin (to avoid).” The Prophet ﷺ then added, “Yes! (they are being punished for a major sin). Indeed, one of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine while the other used to do nameemah.” (Reported in Al-Bukhaari)

عن ابن عباس قَالَ : ” مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بحائط من حيطان المدينةِ أَوْ مَكَةَ فَسَمِعَ صَوْتَ إنسانين يُعَذِّبَانِ في قبورهما، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُعَذِّبَانِ ومَا يُعَذِّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرَ ثُم قَالَ بَلَى كانَ أَحَدُهُمَا لَا يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَولِهِ وَكَانَ الآخَرُ يمشي بالنميمة .. (رواه البخاری)

Consequences of Nameemah on the Ummah

• Breaks family ties
• Destroys friendships
• Spreads distrust in communities
• Weakens Islamic brotherhood
• Invites Allah’s wrath and punishment

Muslims are advised to fear Allah, refrain from gossip, and uphold truth and sincerity in speech.

Nameemah is something that is haraam in Islam as it causes the Muslims to become disunited. The people who do it should think about what they are doing and why. They should fear the punishment of Allah and this can be done by remembering the many aayaat and ahaadeeth that refer to the punishment of nameemah. They should also think of the negative effects that nameemah has on the community.

How to Avoid Falling Into Nameemah

1. Think before speaking: Will this build or break relationships?
2. Avoid passing private info: Respect others’ words as confidential.
3. Don’t fuel conflicts: Refuse to be a middleman of hate.
4. Educate others: Remind friends and family of the sin.
5. Reflect on the punishment: Fear Allah’s justice and mercy.

What We Learn: Key Takeaways

What we learn from the lesson:

1. Nameemah means to spread things about people in order to make them hate each other.
2. Nameemah is haraam.
3. Allah has described the punishment of those who spread nameemah.
4. A nammaam/nammaamah will be punished in the grave.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Relavant Topics:

What is nameemah

Gossip in Islam

Nammaam and nammaamah

Malicious speech in Islam

Sins of the tongue

Backbiting vs nameemah

Spreading rumors in Islam

Grave punishment in Islam

Disunity among Muslims

Avoid gossip in Islam