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Q&A · Character

Is it permissible to stop speaking to another Muslim for more than three days?

No — cutting off a fellow Muslim over a personal grievance beyond three days is prohibited. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "It is not lawful for a Muslim to shun his brother for more than three nights; they meet and this one turns away and that one turns away, and the better of the two is the one who gives the greeting of salam first" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6077; the report is agreed upon). Allah says: "The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers" (Quran 49:10). Scholars note one exception: shunning (hajr) undertaken for a genuine religious purpose — to deter open sin or innovation, where it will actually bring about correction rather than drive the person further away — can be permitted, as in the case of Ka'b ibn Malik and his two companions who were left alone for fifty nights after staying behind from Tabuk (Sahih al-Bukhari 4418). But hajr driven by ego, worldly disputes, or family quarrels is precisely the forbidden kind, and the one who breaks the silence first is the better of the two.

Evidence — the daleel
Sahih al-Bukhari 6077 ṢaḥīḥQuran 49:10Sahih al-Bukhari 4418 Ṣaḥīḥ
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Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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