Whitewashing a tree in the mosque and using harsh words against one another

Question

A tree stands in the mosque. The whitewasher had coated it, that is, whitewashed it. One man said: “Brother, why did you whitewash it?” Another man was present there; he said: “Why, what has happened?” The one who objected said: “This is the practice of the Jews and Christians.” Then that man said: “If this is your view, then you have left Islam.” Now tell us: was the one who forbade it right, or the one who said, “You have left Islam”?

Answer

Whitewashing the mosque’s tree was done without need. Let them not call one another a Jew, a Christian or one who has left Islam; let them repent.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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