Be Aware of the Dog: Imam al-Bukhari’s Advice

Sacred Text Messages

Season 4 of Sacred Text Messages continues with an episode that warns of the Devil's favorite discourse, ghībah (backbiting). Today, the online and social media platforms allow for this discourse to spread like never before and are nearly impossible to erase from the virtual world. God commands us in sura al-Ḥujurāt to avoid mockery, one of the worst forms of backbiting, and He likens ghībah to eating the dead flesh of your brother. Shaykh Hamza expounds on these verses and reminds us that our journey toward virtuous character starts with restraining our tongue. One of our greatest hadith scholars, Imam al-Bukhārī, known for his truthfulness and upright character, would often recite these lines of poetic advice: "Have a vast character with people, and don't be like a dog that growls at the people." Tune in and learn to be aware of that inner "growling dog."

About the Sacred Text Messages podcast:

In this age of material excess and spiritual privation, grounding ourselves in divine guidance has never been more critical. The Sacred Text Messages podcast with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf provides an antidote to the modern madness by reconnecting us with God and His Messenger ﷺ. Listen to timeless wisdoms from sacred sources and rediscover Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

Read more about Hamza Yusuf. Visit us online at Sandala.org.