Question
I know a woman who works in the field of Da'wah (Islamic propagation). This woman is a very successful caller to Allah The Almighty and has a very positive effect on other women. However, when I sit with her in private sessions, she commits one of the most heinous sins: she backbites everyone including her own parents; she criticizes them bitterly and shows no respect to them in front of others.
How can she be a successful caller to the worship of Allah The Almighty, and a humble worshipper who weeps in prayer when she commits such terrible sins? Could you explain?

Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.

No human being is perfect. Perfection is a divine attribute. No person in this world is safe from committing sins and making mistakes. However, when we commit a sin or make a mistake, we must repent, and ask Allah the Almighty for forgiveness. The Prophet says that “all the sons of Aadam (Adam) make mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who frequently repent.” [Imam Ahmad and Imam At-Tirmithi]

The Prophet also said that “if we never committed sins, Allah The Exalted would replace us with people who would commit sins and then seek forgiveness from Him, and He would forgive them.” [Imam Muslim]
At the same time, this should never suggest that we are encouraged to sin. Indeed, we must show the love of Allah the Almighty for those who repent seeking His forgiveness, and Allah the Almighty accepts their repentance.

The sister who works in the field of Da'awah (call to Islam), yet backbites others must be a good example to others by practicing what she preaches.
On the other hand, a Muslim who sees her commit such sins should advise her and remind her with the Quranic verses in which Allah the Almighty Says (what means):

• {O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do} [Quran 61:2-3]

• {Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?} [Quran 2:44]

Allah Knows best

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb