Question:

What is the meaning of the point “you have to be suspicious of the bad intentions of others”?

Answer:

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah wrote in the explanation of this statement:

“To have a bad opinion of himself because sometimes it will delude him and order him to do evil. So he should not have a good opinion of the self. Everytime it prolongs over him, it takes him.

As for thinking good about the people, this requires some explanation. The origin is to think good of people. Whenever you find the ability to carry the speech of another in a good form, then do so and do not have a bad thought about him. However, if you know someone is in a position to have bad thoughts about him, then there is no harm to think bad about him to protect against him…”

(Sharh Hilyah Talib ‘Ilm pg. 255-256)

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan