Backbiting - Islamic School System - Dawat-e-Islami

Backbiting – A Cancer in our Society 247that he could shave my beard off, however the barber became apprehensive and refusedto shave my beard off when I told him that I had accepted Islam. My family also fearedrepercussions when it came to the beard, until a beardless and ignorant Muslim toldthem that it was not necessary to keep a beard, as he had not kept it and neither had themillions of Muslims around the world. Upon hearing this, my family, lost in the obscuritiesof Kufr, found a renewed courage and one day began to shave my beard off while I wasasleep. I woke up, and in the midst of the struggle to save my beard I was injured and myface drenched in my tears and blood. I pleaded but they did not listen and eventuallyshaved my beard off. The blood running from the face blended with my tears. Theyconfined and locked me up in a room with no supplies except my clothes. They wouldwatch over my every move; however, despite their watchful observation, I still managedto offer Ṣalāĥ. I would give up my sleep to remain in the state of Wuḍū. I was helpless,alone and no one was around to allay my pain and problems.Two months went by in the same struggle and confinement, when the holy month ofRamadan approached. Alas, who would bring Saḥarī for me! I could not even think ofmissing a fast, which is why I kept the fast without Saḥarī. My family was suspiciousbecause I did not eat the whole day. In the evening, they came to me in order to force meto eat. I said to them, ‘Leave the food here, I will eat.’ When they left, I hid the gravy androlled up the bread into my pocket, however my family suspected me, they forced me toeat the food during the day. I deeply resented this but could not do anything, thus I missedfive fasts in that oppressive and hostile environment.Eventually the restrictions began to ease up and I started to go back to work at hospital. Iwould make the intention of observing fast without eating Saḥarī, and would take mylunch with me, but would eat at the time of breaking the fast. During this time, I alsotook the legal and official steps that were required to declare the religion as Islam, as myfamily was still unaware of my actions. I would secretly go to the local Masjid to offer myṢalāĥ, but the caretakers of Masjid asked me not to come there, as they were apprehensiveof a possible backlash and discord among the Muslims and Hindus. I was heart-brokenas hostile circumstances established a barrier between the Masjid and me; but could notdo anything about that, as I was helpless and alone. The Local Madanī Headquarters wasfar away, besides I had instructed them not to contact me because of my situation.