Ibn Daud - A Handbook of Spiritual Medicine

CHAPTER 12
الغِشّ‏ [Ghish] Fraud
The next disease is fraud or ‘ghish’. It isn’t wholly confined to
deceiving customers or the tax man: it might involve concealment of
any worldly or religious fault, blemish, or harm, possibly due to greed
or love of wealth.
For some people, the definition of fraud (whether related to a
product or a service) is the act of deceit in making something
useless or defective seem useful and beneficial.
The Prophet happened to pass by a heap of eatables (corn). He
thrust his hand in that (heap) and his fingers were moistened. He
said to the owner of that heap of eatables (corn): “What is this?”
He replied: “O Messenger of Allāh, these have been drenched by
rainfall.” He (the Prophet ) remarked: “Why did you not place
this (the drenched part of the heap) over other eatables so that
the people could see it? He who deceives is not of me (is not my
follower).” [%a#ī# Muslim 102:164]
Falsehood or lying (kidhb) is similar to fraud, in that it is when one
speaks contrary to fact.
The Prophet said:
o “Every ummah has a fitnah (means of testing). The fitnah of
my ummah is wealth” [At-Tirmidhī 2336]
o “A time will come when one will not care how he gains his
money: legally or illegally” [%a#ī# Al-Bukhārī 2059]
FRAUD
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