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Circulating false reports is a grave matter

Question

Asalamuailakum, Respected shiekh, I have come across a event in which it says a lady came to hazrath Umar(RA)complaining that the ground absorbed her oil and in return hazrath umar(RA)wrote a letter and asked the lady to keep it on the same place where lost her oil by doing this the ground gave oil back. Due to curiosity the lady opened that letter it was written that "Give the oil back or else i will bury sinner in that same place". Is this true coz few Muslims just keep forwarding SMS or msg blindly without checking it validity. Jazakallah qair.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

We could not find this story in scholars' writings. In fact, its context and the exaggeration it involves is a sign of fabrication. Therefore, such a fabricated story should not be circulated. A Muslim should not hasten to spread whatever one hears. Instead, he should carefully investigate and verify any report before spreading it (to make sure it is authentic).

It should be noted that the authentically reported stories cited in Muslim scholars' writings are sufficient in a way that leaves no need for spreading such a false story.

Allaah Knows best.

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