Shaming Someone Who Has Repented

In the Name of Allāh, the Ever Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

It is not permissible to shame a person for a sin he committed in the past and has repented from due to the statement of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): O’ community of people, who believed with their tongues, whilst belief had not yet entered into their hearts. Do not harm the Muslims, do not shame them and do not search for their faults. For if anyone searches for their faults, Allāh will search for his fault, and if Allāh searches for the fault of anyone, He disgraces him even in his own house.¹ Likewise, due to his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) statement: He who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.² Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned: He who repents from sin is like one who did not sin and the people have agreed that it is not permissible to shame the repentant.³

The noble Shaykh, al-ʿAllāmah Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān (حفظه الله) was asked with regards to the ruling on describing the disobedient one with ‘so and so is an ʿāhir (fornicator)’ , or ‘fājir (immoral)’, or ‘ʿirbīd (alcoholic)’? He answered: It is not permissible to shame (an individual) due to his sinful actions. Rather, one is required to advise the individual whilst concealing [his sins]. ‘Whoever conceals (the sins of) a Muslim, Allāh will conceal his sins in this world and in the Hereafter.’^{4 5}