Came across this very interesting line, “Don’t judge others because they sin differently than you”.Sounds like a very polite and humble reminder, whilst you weighing the wrongdoings of others, do not forget your own, as Charles F. Glassman said “Judging others is easy because it distracts us from the responsibility of judging ourselves”.
While we get busy lining up others’ flaws and sins, we forget our own, that’s a sign of a weak personality. strong and confident souls lift others, cover and overlook mistakes & weaknesses of others, whilst inferiority complexed humans lift their spirits by burying others.
We are all full of flaws and sins, that’s the design of our creation, there’s good and bad in us, we all commit sins in our own way, a person might think that a woman working the streets is immoral and low, but we ain’t so holy ourselves, firstly for judging someone without knowing their circumstances and secondly, we just pass by without offering them a chance to a better life, well as the saying goes ” don’t judge a book by its cover”, there’s a lot a person going on through, which leads them to make choices that are often not appreciatable, but it’s not for somebody to judge.
Prophet (saw) has said, “Certainly Allah has made sacred the blood, property and respect of a Muslim (from another Muslim) and he must not even entertain bad thoughts (about the other Muslim).”
That’s so beautiful and far-reaching, a believer is the one whose company makes others feel safe, that others have a sense of physical and mental safety around the believers. Many people commit a mistake, but they continue committing further after they’re judged harshly, they feel that since their image is tarnished, why not keep on doing that same thing.
This is the reason today’s rebellious youth has slogans like ” I don’t care ” or ” I’m bad”, They’re just telling themselves that it doesn’t matter anymore, they will put themselves on emotionless mode and go on.
In Islam, when you witness some wrongdoing, there are etiquettes before you point out something to them, with the intention to only offer them advice and guide, humble yourself, choose your words wisely, consider others feelings, put yourself in their place and ask yourself if you intend to bring them good, or merely satisfy your selfish ego, with everything in check, you humbly offer advice, that’s how you help people, judging harshly to feel superior leads to the destruction of the soul !! Avoid that, before your ego lets you feel superior, remind yourself of your own sins, so you feel humble again.