#exposing sins

[slaveofallaah]

[nonchalante]

I get that exhaling your hardships feels so good, and it feels so good when someone is listening to you and it feels so good for you to talk about it; but the beauty of Islam is that there is wisdom in everything; and there is wisdom in exhaling your hardships (i.e complaining) only to Allaah ta’ala. This is because a believer is patient in times of hardships and he does not say anything except that which is pleasing to Allaah; He is the One testing you with hardships, He is the One whom you should turn towards and ask for faith to get through it, for patience to get through it; for strength and peace. This isn’t to say that you can’t share something and seek advice on it, this is to remind you to not complain or show ingratitude when seeking advice. & keep in mind that when talking to someone, please shy away from exposing your sins, repent to Allaah and keep it between you and Him.

Imaam al-Bukhaaree stated in his Saheeh (#6069), Book of Manners, Chapter: The Muslim’s Screening of Himself, with his chain to Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) saying:

“All of my ummah (nation of followers) will be excused, except for the mujaahireen(those who make their sins known).  And verily it is a kind of mujaaharah (exposing one’s sins) that a man does something (sinful) at night, and then in the morning, when Allaah has screened his sin for him, he says, ‘Hey So-and-So!  I did such-and-such last night…’  And the night passed with His Lord screening him, and he wakes up casting aside the screen of Allaah from himself.” [Source]

[alfawzan]

The ruling on mentioning past sins for dawah‏

Sheikh Saalih al Fawzaan was asked the following question during the question and answer session at the end of his Tafsir class in Riyadh: 

Question: In our country America there are some individuals who used to sing/rap and they have now become Muslim. These individuals have begun to give lectures for the purpose of calling the youth to Islam and advising them to abandon disbelief, but at times they (ex-rappers/singers) mention in their lectures some of the sins that they used to commit in the past. Is this action correct? Answer: This is not correct. As for them giving da’wah and calling people to Islam, this is good. But as for them mentioning their past sins, this is not befitting. What is correct is that they seek forgiveness and abandon mentioning of those sins except within themselves. They mention their sins within themselves for the purpose of regret and seeking forgiveness. Also, mention of one’s past sins to an audience can possibly lead the listeners to fall into the same sins.