Hadiths 32 to 34: no harm, the burden of proof, and changing evil

Hadith 32: no harm and no reciprocal harm From Abu Sa'iid Sa'd ibn Maalik ibn Sinaan al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him): the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ "There is no harm, and no harming in return." Source: Ibn Maaja, Ad-Daaraquṭni and others with a chain, and Maalik in Al-Muwaṭṭa' without the companion [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]. An-Nawawi grades it "ḥasan": its routes strengthen one another; Ibn Rajab details these routes [À VÉRIFIER : degré].

The commentary • Two close words: "ḍarar" is harming without right; "ḍiraar" is answering harm with harm, or harming another with no benefit to oneself. Ibn Rajab reports these explanations and others. • One of the great rules of law: jurists drew from it "harm must be removed" (aḍ-ḍarar yuzaal) and its consequences: harm is not removed by an equal harm; one chooses the lesser of two evils; one removes evil before seeking good. • Classic examples: neighbourhood (not harming the neighbour by a building, noise, a smell), the will (not wronging the heirs, 4:12), divorce and taking back (not retaining the wife in order to harm her, 2:231).

In daily life • Before a project (works, business, moving), ask yourself who might suffer harm from it. • Do not answer one nuisance with another: seek justice through legal means.

Hadith 33: the proof is on the claimant From Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them both): the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: لَوْ يُعْطَى النَّاسُ بِدَعْوَاهُمْ لَادَّعَى رِجَالٌ أَمْوَالَ قَوْمٍ وَدِمَاءَهُمْ، لَكِنَّ الْبَيِّنَةَ عَلَى الْمُدَّعِي وَالْيَمِينَ عَلَى مَنْ أَنْكَرَ "If people were given according to their claims alone, men would claim the property and blood of others; but the proof is on the one who claims, and the oath on the one who denies." Source: Al-Bayhaqi with this wording [À VÉRIFIER : numéro et texte arabe]; the essence is in Bukhari and Muslim (Muslim 1711: "…but the oath is on the one against whom the claim is made") [À VÉRIFIER : numéro de Bukhari].

The commentary • The basis of justice: no one is condemned on a mere accusation. Ibn Daqiiq al-'Iid and Ibn Rajab make it a major rule of judgements. • The claimant proves (witnesses, writing, recognised evidence); the defendant, failing proof, swears. The oath is serious: swearing falsely to take property is a great sin. • Beyond the court: not accusing without proof, not spreading an accusation, presuming innocence. The Qur'an asks us to verify news before acting (49:6).

In daily life • In a conflict (family, work, neighbourhood, social media), ask yourself: do I have proof, or only an impression? • Write down your debts and contracts, as verse 2:282 recommends: proof protects everyone.

Hadith 34: whoever sees an evil, let him change it From Abu Sa'iid al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ، وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ "Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith." Source: Muslim 49.

The commentary • Three levels, according to power. An-Nawawi and Ibn Rajab explain that "the hand" belongs to whoever has authority over the situation: the parent in his home, the person in charge in his domain, the public authority in society; it gives no one the right to use violence or take justice into his own hands [À VÉRIFIER : présentation pour l'imam]. • The conditions recalled by scholars: being sure that it is a recognised evil (not a question on which opinions differ), changing it with knowledge, gentleness and patience, and not provoking a greater evil (hadith 32). • The heart: hating the evil and keeping away from it. Ibn Rajab stresses that this level is never lifted: one whose heart no longer disapproves of any evil has lost something of his faith. • "Enjoining good and forbidding evil" is a mark of the community (3:104, 3:110).

In daily life • At home, start with example and gentle words. • At work or online, prefer private advice (hadith 7) to public denunciation. • Report to the competent authorities what belongs to them; do not take it upon yourself.

The text: Surah Aal 'Imraan (3), verse 104 وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٠٤﴾

Meaning: "Let there arise from you a community that calls to good, enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong. It is they who succeed." This verse is the Qur'anic basis of hadith 34.

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Simple, version 1.0.2), © 2008-2010 Tanzil.net, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence, reproduced without any change (http://tanzil.net). Each verse is on its own line, followed by its number; the basmala, which the Tanzil file places at the start of the first verse, is written on its own line.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation These three hadiths found the social life of Islam on justice. Hadith 32 forbids harming, even in return. Hadith 33 forbids condemning without proof. Hadith 34 asks us not to remain indifferent to evil, but in a precise order, according to one's authority and means, without causing a greater evil. Read together, they balance each other: the duty to change evil (34) is limited by the prohibition of harm (32) and the requirement of proof (33). Thus Islam forms people committed to good, but never vigilantes. For the adult, these hadiths touch family life, the neighbourhood, work, social media and civic life.

Lessons to draw from it • Harm no one, neither first nor in return; seek justice through legal means. • Choose the lesser of two evils when both cannot be avoided. • Never accuse without proof; write down one's debts and contracts. • Change evil within one's domain of authority, through example and gentle words. • Keep at least the disapproval of the heart, and never grow used to evil.

Key points to remember • Hadith 32: لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ; rule: harm must be removed. • Hadith 33: the proof on the claimant, the oath on the one who denies (Muslim 1711 for the essence). • Hadith 34 (Muslim 49): the hand, the tongue, the heart. • The "hand" belongs to whoever has authority, never to individual violence.

The main message Be just in society: harm no one, accuse no one without proof, and change evil with wisdom, each according to his place.