Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
I was playing badminton outside with my cousin and he was not playing the best. It was quite windy also and so after trying for some time he hit the shuttlecock. I did not get it as it went down before I got there and I tutted. I am not 100% sure if I tutted because he was not playing well or what I am thinking maybe more so, was about that perhaps I have a feeling that I tutted because of it being windy. I feared kufr (disbelief), what would you say?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Thank you/ Jazāk Allāh Khayr for contacting Mathābah with your query.
Tutting is an exclamation of disapproval in British culture. This is known as tisking in other cultures.
Tutting from the Islamic point of view is disrespectful and disliked as it falls under the use of bad language and dishonorable words or expressions. Tutting at your cousin or at the wind in a sense of disapproval is makrūh (prohibitively disliked) and will not constitute kufr (disbelief) unless you are cursing the Almighty and His decree!
“And [true believers are] they who turn away from ill [and vain] speech.” – (Qurʿān: 23:3).[1]
The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Do not curse the wind, for it is merely doing as it is ordered by God. Whoever curses something undeservingly, then the curse returns upon them.” – (Tirmidhī 1978) [2]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever can guarantee [the chastity of] what is between their two jaw-bones and what is between their two legs (meaning one’s tongue and private parts), I guarantee Paradise for them.” – (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī 6474) [3]
A man once said, “It is so cold today [disliking the climate].” Mu’āfā (may God’s mercy be upon him) turned to him and asked, “By saying this, did you become warmer now? It would have been better if you remained silent.” Imam Dhahabī (may God’s mercy be upon him) says, “To say something similar or like this is allowed, however, scholars have disliked such unnecessary speech.” – (See: Siyar A’alām Al-Nubalā) [4]
Only Allāh knows best
[1] وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ – المؤمنون ٣
[2] عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا لَعَنَ الرِّيحَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ لَا تَلْعَنْ الرِّيحَ فَإِنَّهَا مَأْمُورَةٌ وَإِنَّهُ مَنْ لَعَنَ شَيْئًا لَيْسَ لَهُ بِأَهْلٍ رَجَعَتْ اللَّعْنَةُ عَلَيْهِ – الترمذي ١٩٧٨
[3] مَنْ يَضْمَنْ لِي مَا بَيْنَ لَحْيَيْهِ وَمَا بَيْنَ رِجْلَيْهِ أَضْمَنْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةَ – رواه البخاري ٦٤٧٤
[4] قَالَ بِشْرٌ الحَافِي كَانَ المُعَافَى صَاحِبَ دُنْيَا وَاسِعَةٍ، وَضِيَاعٍ كَثِيْرَةٍ، قَالَ مَرَّةً رَجُلٌ مَا أَشَدَّ البَرْدَ اليَوْمَ، فَالتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ المُعَافَى، وَقَالَ أَسْتَدْفَأْتَ الآنَ؟ لَوْ سَكَتَّ، لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَكَ – قُلْتُ قَوْلُ مِثْلِ هَذَا جَائِزٌ، لَكِنَّهُم كَانُوا يَكْرَهُوْنَ فُضُولَ الكَلاَمِ – كتاب سير أعلام النبلاء
