Those who seek to cause Enmity amongst Muslims

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, “He who stirs up enmity among people by quoting their words to each other will not enter paradise.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Allah (swt) says: "The believers are nothing else than brothers." [49:10]

Allah has prohibited the believers from anything that may induce enmity and hatred amongst them: "Shaitan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from Salat. So, will you not abstain?" [5:91]

Allah has conferred His favor upon His slaves in joining their hearts. He said: "And remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together so that by His Grace you became brethren." [3:103]

"He it is Who has supported you with His help and with the believers, and He has united their hearts. If you had spent all that is in earth you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them." [8:62-63]

The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak what is good or be silent." [Agreed upon]
 

One of the worst kind of enmity some Muslims look to sow,  is the evil past time of Nameemah, gossip mongering or tale-telling, i.e. the practice of taking what he hears from one place to another in an effort to cause enmity and discord among Muslims. Such an example would be that a person may have intimate knowledge of individuals he has either befriended or poses to be as a friend, however does not waste the opportunity to spread what he has heard or has been told, most of the time in confidence and then goes on a shopping spree, spreading it amongst the people, adding a number of lies and fabrications and in the process causing evil and rancour. Indeed such a person is of the most evil people to walk on the face of the earth.

Definition of Nameemah (Slander)
Nameemah (Slander) refers to the act of carrying tales from one person to another. However, is not limited only to that. It includes disclosing things that are disliked, whether by the person being told, the person being discussed, or a third party. This disclosure can be by speaking, writing, nodding, intimating (hinting) or signalling. The disclosed matters can be actions or speech, and may be a defect in the person being discussed or not. The reality of Nameemah is to disclose a secret and expose something about someone who doesn't like having such thing exposed.

Nameemah is carrying discussions from one to another for the intention of mischief, disclosing secrets and exposing secret matters. Yahya Bin Aktham said: "The Nammaam is a greater evil than a magician. The Nammaam does in one hour what a magician cannot do in one year." It was also said, "The acts of Nammaam are more harmful than the acts of Shaitan. Shaitan acts by imagination and whispering, while the Nammaam acts face-to-face and openly."

The Daleel (evidence) On the Prohibition of Nameemah
Allah has said:
"A slanderer going about with calumnies." [68:11]
"Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it.) [50:18]
"Woe to every slanderer and backbiter." [104:1]

The slanderer is the Nammaam
"...and his wife too, who carries wood." [111:4]
In reference to this Surah, it was said that she was a Nammaamah who used to carry tales to spread mischief among people. The tales were called wood because she used to spread enmity and hatred among the people just like wood spreads fire. Nameemah is a harm that affects the believers and spoils relationships amongst them. Allah has said:
"And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, they bear the crime of slander and plain sin." [33:58]

Hudhaifah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "A Nammaam will never enter Paradise." [Bukhari and Muslim]

If the Nammaam does not enter Paradise, then his abode will be nothing but Fire, since there is nothing but Paradise or Fire. The Prophet (pbuh) is also reported to have said: "Shall I tell you about the most evil ones from amongst you?" They said, "Of course." He said, "Those who go around with Nameemah. They make enmity between friends and they seek problems for the innocent." [Ahmad and Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad]

Ibn Abbas said: "Allah's Messenger (pbuh) was passing by two graves and said, 'They (the dead laying in these graves) are being tortured not for a major (sin), but in fact it is a minor (sin). One of them used to carry Nameemah and the other didn't save himself from being soiled by his urine.'" (Bukhari & Muslim)
 
The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: "Shall I tell you about acts of a higher rank than Salat, Siyam and Sadaqah?" They said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said, "Effecting peace among people, for the spoiled relationships amongst people is destruction." [Abu-Dawud and Tirmidhi]

What Should Be Done With the Slanderer
Dear brothers, any person to whom the Nameemah was carried and was told so-and-so said such-and-such about you or did such-and-such against you, etc. should do all of the following:

1. Do not believe the Nammaam because he is an evil person and his testimony is rejected. Allah has said: "O you who believe! If a Fasiq (rebellious evil) person comes to you with news, verify it lest you harm people in ignorance." [49:6]

2. Stop the Nammaam and advise him. He should be told how ugly and despised his actions are, for Allah said: "Enjoin (people) to Al-Ma'ruf (good) and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (evil)." [31:17]

3. Dislike the Nammaam for the sake of Allah. Allah does not like the Nammaam, so we should dislike whom Allah dislikes.

4. Do not think bad of your Muslim brother. as Allah (swt) said:
"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins...." [49:12)

5. Do not be pushed by what has been said to go and check on others and spy. Allah said: "... and spy not, ... ." [49:12]

6. Do not accept for yourself what you have forbidden the Nammaam from doing. Don't tell his Nameemah and then say, "a person has said such-and-such." If you do, then you become Nammaam and Mughtaab. You would then have done what you have forbidden.
Al-Hasan said "Whoever carries Nameemah to you, will carry one about you." This is an indication that the Nammaam should not be trusted in his statements or friendship but be hated. How could a Nammaam not be liked while he continues to lie, cheat, make gheebah, envy, spread mischief among people, and cut what Allah has ordered to be joined? Allah has said: "The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress men and wrongly rebel on the earth without justification...." [42:42]

The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: "The Qaati' will not enter Paradise." They asked, "Who is the Qaati'?" He said, "The one who severs the bonds among the people." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Dear brothers, the Nammaam should be hated and distrusted. He should not be taken as a friend, because he does not fear Allah and doesn't respect and guard the honor of Muslims. He likes division and dissension. So do not let the Nammaam pollute your meetings and make dirty your hearing with sins and shameful things. You should command him to do good and prohibit him from evil. Scold him harshly and explain to him how what he is saying and doing is bad and evil. Do not pay attention to him and ask Allah to make you free from any responsibility for his actions.

May Allah protect our tongues, hearing and sight-AMEEN