Question
I am an ignorant Muslim. I seldom performed Salaat. Allah Ta'ala guided me and I began attending the Musjid. Being ignorant of the rules of Salaat, I stood in the row together with the children. One of the elders of the Musjid approached me and in the presence of all the congregants yelled at me. He insulted me for my ignorance. Does an elder have the right to embarrass a musalli in this way. I no longer attend Salaat in that Musjid. Please comment on this method of admonition.
Answer
Undoubtedly, the Musjid elder grievously erred in the manner in which he acquitted himself. Whilst you had erred, he had committed a major sin for embarrassing you in public. It is not permissible to embarrass people for errors which they commit due to ignorance or unintentionally. He was supposed to have explained to you in privacy what the rule is. Or if there was space in the saff (row) of the adults, he should have politely asked you to step forward and fill the gap. If there was no space in the saff ahead of you, then you had no option but to stand in the saff with the children.
- Source
- themajlis.co.za
- Published in
- The Majlis Vol 21 No 01
- PDF page
- 3
Appears under Questions and Answers (approximate).