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Engaging in Useless Conversation

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by ShariahBoard.org

Asalamualaikum. 

I wanted to confirm what our deen says about those who engaged in futile/idle talk as some ‘Ulema describe it. Conversations that doesn’t benefit the believes in anyway

I wanted to confirm is it haram not discouraged for one to engage in such discussions.

Let me present a few examples.

Zaid, and Bilal are not brothers who neglect their furdh obligations, but one night just to “kill time” they talked about the following for about an hour.

  • A certain satellite that crashed after reaching the planet Mars
  • The weather for today
  • Whether the MH370 plane that crashed almost 3 years ago will ever be found
  • The new BMW car that’s been released

Were the brothers sinful for indulging in such discussions for 60 minutes?

 

Engaging in Useless Conversation

الجواب وبالله التوفيق

According the ulamah kiram, laghw is described as useless or futile conversation which does not have any religious benefits. The superlative degree of laghw is considered a sin which not only contains useless conversation but also contains a loss from religious standpoint. It is wajib to refrain from engaging in such conversation. Further, if there is no benefit or loss from religious standpoint, refraining from such conversation is considered at least preferable and ba‘is-e-madah(worthy of praise). It has been mentioned in a hadithof Rasulullah Sallallaho Alyhi Wasallam:

من حسن اسلام المرأترکہ مالا یغیر

Which means that one’s Islam becomes praiseworthy when he leaves useless things.

واللہ اعلم بالصواب

This answer was collected from Shariahboard.org. It was established under the supervision of the eminent faqih of our era, Hazrat Shah Mufti Mohammed Navalur Rahman damat barakatuhum.

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