Guarding Secrets

وعن ثابت عن انس رضي الله عنه قال: اتي علي رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم وانا العب مع غلمانفسلم علينا فبعثني في حاجة، فابطآت علي امي ، فلما جئت قالت ما حبسك؟ فقلت: بعثني رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم لحاجة قالت: ما حاجته قلت انها سر قالت لا تخبرن بسر رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم احدا. قال انس: والله لو حدثت به احدا لحدثتك به يا ثابت رواه مسلم

Narrated by Thabit رضي الله عنه that Anas رضي الله عنه said :

Once Rasulullah صلي الله عليه وسلم came to me while I was playing with the boys. He greeted us and sent me on an errand. This delayed my return to my mother. When I came to her, she asked, “What detained you?” I said; “Allah’s Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم sent me on an errand.” She asked, “What was it?” I said, “It is a secret.” My mother said, “Do not disclose to any one the secret of Rasulullah صلي الله عليه وسلم.” Anas رضي الله عنه said to Thabit رضي الله عنه "By Allah, were I to tell it to anyone I would have told you". (Muslim)

Today’s lesson is regarding to guard the secret. To disclose a secret is the theme of this Hadith. When Anas رضي الله عنه told his mother about the cause of secrecy, she refrained from insisting that the secret should be disclosed to her. Rather, she lent her support to her son’s standpoint and advised him to conceal the secret.

It is part of Shariah and moral teaching that we should keep the secrets of our friends in our hearts. Unless we receive a go ahead from a friend, we must not make his/her secret public.

Secrecy of Fatimah رضي الله عنها:

Aishah رضي الله عنها reported:

On one occasion all the wives of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم were with him when his daughter, Fatimah رضي الله عنها who walked in the style of her father, arrived. He صلي الله عليه وسلم welcomed her saying, "Welcome, O my daughter", and asked her to sit on his right side, or on his left side and then whispered something to her at which she wept bitterly. When he perceived her grief, he whispered in secret to her again and this time she smiled (with happiness). I said to her: "Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم chose you his daughter from amongst all his wives to speak secretly to you and yet you wept.'' When he left, I asked her, "What did Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم say to you?'' She said, "I will not divulge the secret of Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم .'' When Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم passed away, I said to her: "I adjure you by the right I have in respect of you to tell me what Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم had told you.'' She said: "Now (when Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم has died), I will tell you. When he whispered to me the first time, he told me, `Jibril (Gabriel) used to listen to my recitation of the Qur'an and then recite it back to me once, and this time he has done it twice; and so I perceive that my death is approaching. Then be mindful of your duty to Allah and be patient and steadfast, for I shall be an excellent predecessor for you." On this I wept as you saw. When he perceived my distress he said to me in secret for the second time, `O Fatimah, are you not pleased that you will be the chief among the believing women or of this Ummah?' This made me smile as you saw.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

This Hadith, too, has an implication for keeping a secret and concealing it from people.

Islam also treats conjugal union as a sacred and secret act, both in social and moral terms. Indeed, the sanctity of conjugal rights contributes to the consolidation of moral norms and social cohesion. Yet, what passes between wife and husband on the consummation night is usually taken in a light vein in our societies. In the morning, both of them relate their sexual experience to their friends respectively. This is moral indecency, which is incompatible with human dignity and civilized behaviour.

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه reported:

Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم said,

"The most evil of the people to Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the man who consorts with his wife and then publicizes her secret.'' [Muslim].

This Hadith reckons it as a grave sin, which must be shunned. The bed-experience must be kept private by the married couple to the exclusion of a third person

May Allah give us taufique to act what has been said. Aameen

Please forgive me for any mistakes that have been made, they were made unintentionally.