Give your brothers and sisters the best interpretation

[Sister Unknown]

Sa’eed bin Al-Musayyab was reported to have said:

“Some of my brothers among the Companions of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, wrote me the following message:

“Give your brother’s action the best interpretation you could find as long as you have not seen any proof that would make you think otherwise. Do not ever give the word uttered by a Muslim bad interpretation as long as you can find better interpretation for it.
But he who makes himself vulnerable to suspicion should blame only himself. He who conceals his secrets has the options in his hand.
The best reward you can give someone who disobeys Allah through you is to obey Allah through him. Be always truthful even if truth is going to kill you. Do not envy anyone except in regard to something for which the dead person is envied.
And consult, in respect to your affairs, only those who fear Allah in their privacy


The Leader of the Believers, ‘Umar bin al-Khattab, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “Think only well of a word that leaves your believing brother so long as you find a way of understanding it in a good way.” [Quoted by ibn Kathir in the commentary of 49:12]

Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah bin Zayd bin al-Jurmi said, as quoted in Abu Nu’aym's al-Hilyah,

“If something of your brother is conveyed to you that you dislike, expend all your efforts in finding an excuse for him’ even then, if you cannot find an excuse say to yourself: perhaps he has an excuse that I am not aware of.”