Warning of profit at a Muslim’s expense

📖Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4881
Al-Mustawrid reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever eats so much as a morsel at the expense of a Muslim’s reputation, then Allah will feed him the likes of it in Hell. Whoever clothes himself with a garment at the expense of a Muslim’s reputation, then Allah will clothe him with the likes of it in Hell. Whoever stands in a position of repute and fame at the expense of a man, then Allah will make him stand in a position of dishonor and infamy on the Day of Resurrection.”

Source:

Hadith Explanation
In this narration, the Prophet ﷺ warns against gaining any benefit – food, clothing, or social status – through harming a Muslim’s honor or reputation. This includes slander, false accusations, humiliation, or manipulation for personal gain. The hadith makes it clear that such acts are not small sins; they will be repaid in the Hereafter with the same harm but multiplied and in the form of severe punishment.

Why This is a Serious Sin

• It’s not about the object itself (food, clothes, or status) but about the injustice in obtaining it.
• Wasting resources or keeping more than needed while others are in need is also blameworthy. If you have extra, you should give it to the poor instead of keeping it out of greed.
• This is about intentional wrongdoing. If someone makes an honest mistake, speaks without malice, or gains something in a fair and halal way, this warning does not apply to them. The hadith targets those who knowingly harm others for gain.

Why It Deserves Such a Punishment

• Taking something material in this world might seem small, but the damage to someone’s honor can be permanent.
• Reputation is a form of wealth in Islam; once it’s destroyed, it’s hard to restore.
• Harming another believer without cause breaks the unity of the ummah and leads to hatred, distrust, and division—things Allah warns strongly against.

Qur’ān Context

📖Qur’ān 49:12
“O you who have believed, avoid much suspicion. Indeed, some suspicion is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
— This verse links backbiting and slander to eating human flesh, showing the ugliness of harming a believer’s honor.

📖Qur’ān 104:1-2
“Woe to every slanderer and backbiter, who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it.”
— Allah warns that wealth or gain earned through defaming others leads only to ruin.

📖Qur’ān 17:36
“And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—about all those [one] will be questioned.”
— A reminder that we are accountable for every word and act, especially those harming others.