The Essence of the Holy Qur’an

Dear brothers and sister,
Criticism is a practice of judging the faults of other people. But perhaps you have heard the little epigram: “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and little minds discuss people.” Those who spend most of their discussion time in talk about people and events are not intellectually mature. It is easier, no doubt, to talk about people and events, because so many disagreeable remarks spontaneously occur to one. It is more difficult to talk about things and ideas, because this requires a certain amount of intelligence, reflection and information. For this reason, criticism is considered as the lowest class of talk.
We should not criticize our friends or others for doing something we don’t believe was right. There may be a reason why he or she decided to do things that way. And we won’t know that unless we approach our friend with an open mind and a cool head. Condemning another person’s actions without knowing the full circumstance of that action is immature and short-sighted. Actually, Only Allah knows who is true and what most correct.
Criticism is similar to advice, but there is a big difference between criticism and advice. Criticism is a negative attitude what comes from ego, but advice is a positive attitude what comes from love. Criticism destroys one’s ability, but advice develops one’s skill. For this reason, the Almighty Allah encourages people to give advice one another. He says: “Truly mankind is in loss. But those who believe, perform righteous deeds, advise one another to Truth, and advise one another to patience.” (Surah al-Asr: 2&3). According to the Quranic verses mentioned, we should not judge others people as the Almighty Allah has strictly forbidden us. But we can only give good advice one another with love and respect.
Jobayer Al Mahmud, Student, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.