148 Preface ۞ لا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ الجَهرَ بِالسّوءِ مِنَ القَولِ إِلّا مَن ظُلِمَ ۚ وَكانَ اللَّهُ سَميعًا عَليمًاYusuf AliGod loveth not that evil should be noised abroad1 in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for God is He who heareth and knoweth all things.We can make a public scandal of evil in many ways. (1) It may be idle sensation-mongering: it often leads to more evil by imitation, as where criminal deeds are glorified in a cinema, or talked about shamelessly in a novel or drama. (2) It may be malicious gossip of a foolish, personal kind: it does no good, but it hurts people’s feelings. (3) It may be malevolent slander or libel: it is intended deliberately to cause harm to people’s reputation or injure them in other ways, and is rightly punishable under all laws. (4) It may be a public rebuke or correction or remonstrance, without malice. (1), (2) and (3) are absolutely forbidden. (4) may be by a person in authority; in which case the exception applies, for all wrong or injustice must be corrected openly, to prevent its recurrence. Or (4) may be by a person not vested with authority, but acting either from motives of public spirit, or in order to help some one who has been wronged; here again the exception will apply. But if the motive is different, the exception does not apply. (4) would also include a public complaint by a person who has suffered a wrong; he has every right to seek public redress.