Spreading people’s personal messages and conversations

Question:
What is the ruling on one who spreads the personal affairs of others, whether that is memos, letters or conversations that one has had with them, etc., and he spreads them among people or among a specific group without the person’s permission?

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

If the person entrusted it to him on the basis that it was a secret, then it is not permissible for him to spread it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A conversation in a gathering is a trust.” Similarly, if spreading it will result in harm to his Muslim brother, that is not permitted because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” Similarly, if spreading it will result in scandal for a sinning Muslim brother whose sin has been concealed by Allaah, it is not permissible to spread it. But if spreading it will serve a shar’i interest and benefit the person or people in general, and the person did not state the condition that it had to be kept a secret, then it is o.k. to spread it in that case, indeed one may be rewarded for that..

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid