Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 693 [Read full issue]
Mira
The word mira, or mumarat, means an indulgence in soul-destroying arguments which serve no worthy purpose and mar the climate of fraternity and peace. Mira often consists in objecting to the speech of another person in order to show its defects either explicitly or by implication. The motive is usually self-commendation and the attribution of ignorance to others. The hallmark of mira is that it humiliates its victim, and leads to embitterment and hostility.
Mira is often referred to as the opposite of husn-al-khulq - good and pleasant character. The Sunnah emphasizes the moral enormity of mira to such an extent that it is held to interfere with the integrity of faith of the believing perpetrator. Thus, according to one Hadith:
Perfection in faith (Iman) cannot be accomplished unless the believer abandons distortion in the jokes he makes, and abandons acrimonious contention (al-mira), even if what he is saying is true. [Al Maqdisi]
The relevance of mira to personal piety is seen in the following Hadith which promises distinction and a great reward for those who avoid it.
A dwelling shall be built in the highest [echelons] of Paradise for him who refrains from mira even though he be in the right; and for him who is in the wrong but refrains from mira, a dwelling shall be built in the outer realms of Paradise. [Tirmidhi]
Compiled From:
"Freedom of Expression in Islam" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 153-155