Disease of Mocking and Insulting Others

After returning from school, Nannhay Miyan entered the home and went straight to his room without saying Salaam. Nannhay Miyan’s mother realised his unusual behaviour and followed him. She peeked through the door of the room and found that Nannhay Miyan was incredibly nervous. She went inside straightaway and asked him:

Nannhay Miyan! What happened? Is there any problem?

Nannhay Miyan: Mom! I didn’t beat ‘Shahid’ and now I will not talk to him anymore.

Mother asked: After all, what has happened? Tell me.

Nannhay Miyan: He is a very bad-mannered boy. He was continuously calling me using strange words. When I answered him back, he started crying. I just ran away and came home. Mom! I’m speaking the truth. I have not beaten him.

Shaky voice of Nannhay Miyan sounded as if he would break into tears any moment now.

While consoling him, Mother said: It is alright! If you have not beaten him, there is no point of getting scared.

After a while, doorbell rang. Mother went to the door and inquired: Who is it?

An annoying voice of a lady was heard from outside: Please open the door quickly. This is Shahid’s mother.

As soon as the door was opened, the lady entered the house with ‘Shahid’, saying: Where is Nannhay Miyan? I thought him to be a good child but he has exceeded all the limits of rudeness.

Nannhay Miyan’s mother asked with tenderness: Dear Sister! What has happened? Tell me something!

Shahid’s mother replied: Shahid’s skin colour is black. It does not mean that your son keeps teasing and hurting him by calling him, ‘Black’. Today, Shahid has returned home in tears.

Nannhay Miyan’s mother said: Dear sister! Have a seat, let me call him [Nannhay Miyan].

Shahid’s mother replied: I don’t want to sit; just call your beloved son.

Nannhay Miyan’s mother called out: Nannhay Miyan! Come here immediately.

When there was no sign of his arrival for a while, Nannhay Miyan’s mother went to see him herself. On the other hand, Nannhay Miyan had hidden himself in his grandmother’s room when he saw Shahid’s mother. Upon the second call of Nannhay Miyan’s mother, grandmother herself took him out holding his hand.

After listening to the whole story related by Shahid’s mother, grandmother said: Nannhay Miyan! I never expected anything like that from you.

In his defence, Nannhay Miyan said:  But, grandma! ‘Shahid’ also mocks me daily.

Grandmother surprisingly said: Oh! How did the children develop this bad habit?

Thereafter the grandmother took both the children with her to drawing room; and while making them understand, she said: Calling people by bad names such as ‘lanky’, ‘shorty’, ‘fatty’ etc., and making fun of them is a very bad act. Let me narrate you a true story then tell me whether both of you did something good or bad.

In the meantime, mothers of both children entered the drawing room. Hearing about the true story, they also sat with fondness on the sofa.

During the reign of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, a person called Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ: ‘O the son of black woman!’ When Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ complained about him in the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم summoned that person.

Grandmother continued saying: Dear Children! Do you know what did Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم say to him?

Both children spontaneously said in unison: What?

Our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: I did not expect that your chests would still be holding the arrogance of pre-Islamic era.

Grandmother said in a curious way: So, dear children! Do you know what did that person do? ‘Nannhay Miyan’ and ‘Shahid Miyan’! Both of you must listen to it carefully! That person placed his face on the ground and said: “Bilal! I will not lift my face from the ground in any case until you put your foot on my face. Eventually, at the continued insistence of that person, Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ put his foot on his face.^[1]

My dear children! Now tell me that are you doing a good or a bad thing?

Nannhay Miyan said: Grandma! It was a very bad practice. Shahid! Please, forgive me. I will never call you by bad names in future.

Shahid stood up, hugged Nannhay Miyan, and said: Please forgive me too. I will also never mock you now.

Seeing both the children hugging and showing affection for each other, Shahid’s mother also calmed down, and on the other hand, mother and grandmother of Nannhay Miyan also became happy.