Backbiting & Slander In Islam

Backbiting & Slander:

Stay away from those who backbite, if they are shamelessly speaking of other people’s faults in front of you, they will shamelessly speak of your faults in front of others.

Someone who listens to backbiting is a partner to it....

Many people are so busy spreading the slander they hear that they do not even stop to think if it is true or not.

Among the major sins are backbiting and slandering,

Islam prohibits backbiting and slandering.

Quran states:

"And when they hear Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk) they withdraw from it.'' (28:55)

“O you who believe! Shun much suspicion; some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor that. And keep your duty (to Allah). Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 12]

“O you who believe! Let not some men among you deride others who may be better than they (are), nor let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Evil is a bad name after faith.” [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 11]

“Woe to every sneering defamer.”

(Surat Humaza, 104:1)

"The believers indeed are brothers; so set things right between your two brothers, and fear Allah ; haply so you will find mercy"

(49:10)

Slander is a false statement of enormous sinfulness deserving of severe punishment. Allah says:

“And those who malign believing men and women undeservedly bear upon themselves the guilt of slander and a manifest sin.” [Sûrah al-Ahzâb: 58]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “One of the greatest of the major sins is to stretch out one’s tongue without right against the honor of a Muslim.” [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4877)]

The Prophet (s) said, "He who defends the honour of his (Muslim) brother, Allah will secure his face against the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.''

[At-Tirmidhi].

If someone says something disgraceful against a Muslim, one must defend his Muslim brother (or sister, for that matter) and say that what has been stated about him or her is wrong and that he (or she) is free from the accusation made against him (or her).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A man might speak a word without thinking about its implications, but because of it, he will plunge into the Hellfire further than the distance between the east and west.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (6477) and Sahîh Muslim (2988)]

The messenger of Allah said :"All of a Muslim is prohibited to another Muslim : his blood, his honor and his property." [Muslim]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) defines backbiting in the following way, and his definition is preferred over any other:

He said: “Do you know what backbiting is?”

They said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”

He said: “It is to mention about your brother something that he would dislike having mentioned about him.”

[Sahîh Muslim 2589,Abu Dawood, and Tirmidhi]

The Prophet goes on in the same hadîth to explain the difference between backbiting and slander. He said: “It is to mention about your brother something that he would dislike having mentioned about him.”

Someone enquired: “O Messenger of Allah! How do you see it if what I said about him is true?”

He replied: “If what you said about him is true, then you have backbitten him. If what you said about him is false, then you have slandered him.” [Sahîh Muslim (2589)]

The prophet Mohammad (PBUH) also said:

"Who protects his tongue from unlawful utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual intercourse; I shall guarantee him entrance into Paradise."

Al-Hasan al-Basrî said: “Backbiting has three manifestations, all of which are discussed in Allah’s Book. They are: backbiting, tale-telling, and slander. As for backbiting, it is to say about your brother something that is true about him. Tale-telling is to say something that you have heard about him. Slander is to say about him what is not true.

Imam Nawawi says "It is obligatory for every sane adult to guard his tongue against talking, except when it contains a clear benefit. If talking and remaining silent are of equal benefit, it is sunnah to abstain, for permissible talking might lead to something undesirable or forbidden, as in fact is very often the case, and nothing matches safety."

We ask Allah for protection and to help us to do that which He loves and which will please Him.

Ameen......