How Can I Repent for Slandering Someone When I Was a Young Teenager?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I am very ashamed. This sin has haunted me for over seven years. As a young teen, I had slandered a family friend that lived opposite us. Our families still remain in good contact. I had told a group of past friends how a boy from that family had cornered me into a room and pushed me onto a bed. I cannot remember if I had said more than this. Later on, he and his brother confronted me at school, stating, “You have been saying a lot of crap about me.” whilst smiling. They also think I slandered their sister, which is not true. I’m scared to confront them.
Answer
Thank you for your question. It was haram for you to lie about the boy, but you shouldn’t endlessly beat yourself up for this, as you obviously sincerely regret it. Thinking before speaking takes years of practice, and Allah is the Most Merciful of the merciful. Always renew your intention and trudge on, don’t repeat these mistakes.
Repent
The best thing that you can do now is repent, perform a good deed, like giving charity, and educate yourself further in your religion and especially regarding the enormities of the tongue. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us, “Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people.“ [Tirmidhi]
Confrontation
If you are confronted by this person, which I doubt, since it was seven years ago, you should tell the truth. If not, you can write him a letter apologizing for the story you told, and tell the truth to the past friends that you told the story to. It won’t be easy, but a mountain will be lifted off your shoulders by the grace of Allah, and you will have shown your sincerity to Allah Most High.
Please consider taking these courses.
- Absolute Essentials of Islam (Hanafi)
- Absolute Essentials of Islam (Shafi‘i)
- Dhahabi’s The Major Sins Explained: Avoiding the Pitfalls to Attain Salvation
- The Tongue and the Majority of Man’s Sins
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
