Back to search

Is a fleeting verbal argument over the phone considered a cause for dispute, and does it entail sin if neither party intended ostracism or enmity?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Allah Almighty has forbidden turning away from one another and abandoning one another among Muslims. It is not permissible for a Muslim to abandon his brother for more than three nights. If a Muslim quarrels with his brother over worldly matters, he may abandon him for only three days. If the abandonment exceeds three days, he exposes himself to a stern warning, as his deeds will not be presented to Allah until reconciliation occurs. In the Hadith: "Deeds are presented every Monday and Thursday, and on that day, Allah, the Almighty, forgives every person who does not associate anything with Allah, except a person who has animosity between him and his brother. It is said: 'Leave these two until they reconcile.'"

Abandonment ceases with a mere greeting and its return according to the majority of scholars. However, if refraining from speaking causes harm, abandonment is not ended by a mere greeting. Forgiving the wrongdoer increases one's honor and dignity, and it is a path to attaining Allah's forgiveness and pardon: "And let them pardon and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy