Evil of Backbiting

Evils

of

Backbiting

“And so not backbite each other.”

(Surah Hujurat)

Muhammad ‘Abd al-Mannan

Introduction

‘Shaytan will do everything to distract you from reading this book, however, you should fight him and read it to the end, Insha-Allah you will benefit from this!’

All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, Who has disposed all matters through His arrangements thereof, Who has fairly composed His creation and given it excellent form, good structure and proportion.

And may blessings and salutation be invoked upon Muhammad, May Allah bless him and grant him peace,, the bondsman of Allah, His Prophet, loved one and chosen one, who was His bearer of good tidings and His Warner, from the lines of whose brow the radiance of Prophethood shone forth. Auspicious prayers be on Ahl-e-Bait and on all his just and devoted Companions. I seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytan. Allah’s name I begin, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Today we have become so much engrossed in sin that we don’t realise due to our ignorance and arrogance that we are committing sin. A major sin is not looked upon as a major sin, let alone a major sin but it is not even looked upon as a sin, Allah forbid. The community we live in have changed their way of lives and the way of thinking. We may find a house the street that practises Islam and the rest are Muslims by name. The state of the Ummah is unbelievable, our Islam is lost in the western culture and only Allah knows if we still have faith. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “A time will come when a person will wake up a Muslim and by the evening will be a non believer, and in the evening will be a Muslim but by morning will be a non believer.”

The reason of writing this book is to make Muslims aware of the state we are in. The Muslims have forgotten even how to talk and have ruined their lives. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in the last sermon: “I leave behind two things, if you hold onto them you will never go astray.” These are the teaching in the Qur’an and the saying of the Prophet, the Sunnah.

The Qur’an is the word of Almighty Allah, and must be strictly followed; in the same way the teaching contained in the Prophet’s Sunnah must be observed by all who profess to be Muslims. For the Qur’an says; “And whatsoever the messenger gives you, take it. And whatsoever he forbids, abstain.”

It is because of our separation from the Qur’an and the Sunnah we are in ruins. The day we begin to follow the Book of Allah and the saying of the Prophet, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, we will see changes in our environment and the Mercy of Allah descending upon us.

This path is indeed demanding, and it would appear to one looking at it that to get there is too difficult for most of us. Let us set out first and then see how long we can last. A Divine wind will blow on your back, you feet will become light, and wondrous fellow wayfarers will show up with sustenance just when you thought you had none. Our success in by Allah, upon Him we place out trust, and to Him we return. 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

The Evils of Backbiting

The Holy Qur’an equates backbiting with eating the flesh of one’s dead brother. So backbiting is like eating a corpse. The implication is that just as you detest eating the dead body of your brother, you should detest backbiting also.

In Khazain-ul-Irfan it states when the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, would set off for defending Islam (Jihad) or whilst travelling, he would designate one poor person with two wealthy people so that the poor person can assist the rich with chores and the rich can assist the poor person with food and drink in return. Once Salman, May Allah be pleased with him, a companion of the Prophet, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, was designated with two people, however, went to sleep hence could not prepare the food. So the two sent him to the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, to get some food. The Prophet’s servant was Usama, May Allah be pleased with him, who had no food. When Salman, May Allah be pleased with him, told the two people they said: “Usama, May Allah be pleased with him, is being a miser.” When they came to the court of the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said: “I see the colour of meet on your tongues.” They said: “We have not eaten meat.” The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “You have back bitten and whosoever backbites a Muslim has eaten the Muslim’s meat”. Allah, The Exalted, states in the Qur’an:

And do not backbite one another.1

1 Surah Al-Hujurat; Surah No: 49; Verse: 12

2 Baihaqi

3 Targheeb

4 Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol 2 page 313

Good deeds are no good

Once two people where fasting and after the Asr Prayer was completed the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to them: “You two, perform ablution and repeat the prayer and complete your fast and repeat the fast the following day.” They asked: “O Messenger of Allah, for what reason is this ruling?” He said: “You have backbitten such a person.”2

Respected brother/sister! We find that the worship that we perform is of no value if we backbite. We will need every single deed on the Day of Judgment, no one can afford to loose any reward. Backbiting doesn’t benefit us!

Good deeds wasted

A person on the Day of Judgement will see that they will have no deeds. They will be in a state of anxiety and ask: “Where are such and such good deeds that I performed.” It will be said: “It has been taken away because of the backbiting you did.”3

Allahu Akbar! Can you see that the backbiter will have no deeds to their name, all that time and effort wasted because of talking ill of another person. May Allah save us from this evil act.

Scratching faces with brass nails

The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “On the night of the ascension (Me’raj) I passed such a people who where scraping their faces and chests with copper nails. I asked: O Jibrail, upon whom be peace, ‘who are these people?’ He replied: ‘These are those who would backbite and would ruin their respect.’”4

One of the reasons why people backbite is to ridicule and lower a person. Many men and women in order to impress or to amuse the assembly backbite someone present or absent, or mock or mimic 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

them. For the time being a temporary laughter delights the heart, but this will be more than off set by the penalty that will be inflicted in the next world.

Making others laugh

The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “No doubt a man utters some speech that is calculated to raise a laughter. But due to this utterance the man continues to sink to such depth even greater than the space between the heaven and earth.”5

5 Mishkat ul Masabih

6 Mishkaat ul Masabih

We make people laugh, for what reason? To please our friends! So our friends respect us, remember respect is in the hands of Allah, The Exalted, and if He wants to degrade a person no one stop this.

Hurting someone

Abu Hurayrah, May Allah be pleased with him, reported the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Do you know what backbiting means?” It was submitted to him: ‘Allah and his Messenger know best! He warned: “(Backbiting is) that you refer to your brother in such a way as would hurt him.” At this a companion asked: ‘But if the fault I mention is actually present in my brother, (what then?)’ The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, answered: “If you mention the fault of your brother he actually possesses you have backbitten him. But if you attributed some fault to him which he does not posses, you have slandered him.” 6

Respected brother/sister! This Hadith shows that backbiting means to refer to a person in such a way as would hurt him. This also points at, even if what you say about the person is correct and there is no doubt in it, they have still committed an offence. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, observed that backbiting is that you should attribute to a person a fault which is actually present, but if the fault is not present it would be slander which is more serious then backbiting. Some ignorant people say that ‘I shall tell him to his face, and saying something directly to a person is not backbiting’. This argument has been suggested by Shaytan and does not justify backbiting. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, observed that backbiting means to refer to someone in such a manner that would hurt them. This shows that the basis of offence is causing heartache and hurting the feelings of a person. It does not make a difference if it is done directly or indirectly. One should talk good of a person or stay silent.

What is Backbiting?

In order for a person to refrain from backbiting one should learn and understand what backbiting is. Once a person knows the definition one can save themselves as well as others from this major sin. The following would fall under the category of backbiting, picking faults in the clothing a person wears, to call names, to say that someone is dark, ugly or to make comments about someone’s physic, basically to say anything that hurts the feelings of others is forbidden and Haraam. We will give some detailed examples so one may have a better understanding later on in the book.

Respected sisters! Women are especially afflicted with this disease calling names, criticising and taunting others. When there is a gathering of two or three women they begin picking holes in the character of someone. Such and such has a dark complexion, such and such is cross-eyed, she does not wear descent clothes, and she shows off. The bottom line is and it is pure and simple all this falls into one category of backbiting.

Pus, blood and flesh

Ubaidah, May Allah be pleased with him, reported: two women kept a fast. A man arrived and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, there are two women here and are 5 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

fasting and they are near to death with thirst.’ On hearing this, he kept silent. The Man came again at noon and said ‘O messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, they are dying.’ He, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Fetch both of them,” so both of them arrived and a bowl was bought in. To one of them the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Vomit.” She brought up pus, blood, and pieces of flesh, which filled half of the bowl. He, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked the other woman to vomit. She also brought up pus, blood, and flesh. The bowl was filled to the edge. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Both of them renounced lawful things and kept a fast. They did not observe fast of those things which Allah, The Exalted, had declared unlawful. They sat together and ate the flesh of others (this is backbiting).”

Even whilst fasting we do these evils? Is our faith this weak that even in the state of fasting we can not stop ourselves from this great sin? You have read why these people where suffering from thirst at the time of death. This evil act will carry out punishment during life, at the time of death and in the hereafter. Let us stop ourselves from this sin and become good Muslims!

Backbiting greater than adultery

The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, had warned that backbiting is more serious than adultery. The companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, in what way is backbiting a greater sin than adultery?’ He, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied: “The adulterer repents and Allah, The Exalted, accepts the repentance and forgives. As for the backbiter, he shall not be forgiven till that person has forgiven him when he has backbitten.”7

7 Mishkaat ul masabih

O brother/sister! Think before you speak and do not think after you have spoken, to regret it later will be too late and would have broken some ones heart. After breaking someone’s feelings it is not easy to go and ask for forgiveness.

Eating the flesh

In Ihya Ul-Uloom udin, Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, May Allah be pleased with him, has incorporated a saying of the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, May Allah be pleased with him, “Whosoever ate the flesh of his brother (by backbiting him) in the world. In the hereafter his brother’s body will be brought to him and he will be told to eat it’s dead flesh just as you ate it in his lifetime. Thereafter the backbiter will eat the flesh and will cry and twist his mouth in disgust.”

Allahu Akbar! Today a person fears going near a decease person’s body and to eat a dead body is another question. We should stop ourselves from backbiting and think of the punishment one could receive in the hereafter. May Allah Almighty save us all from this disease!

Listening to backbiting

Backbiting is the worst evil, just as it is forbidden to backbite, it is also forbidden to listen to it and entails heavy penalty in the hereafter. It is observed that some men and women are so hooked with backbiting that they cannot help indulging in it in every assembly and on every occasion. They cannot live without backbiting and it becomes second nature. Backbiting is of different types, by speech, another by a movement of the eye, another by mimicking, some other by correspondence or by writing an article in the newspaper/magazine. The devotees of backbiting do not spare even the dead, Allah forbid. This is even dangerous since they are not present in the world no excuse can be offered to them.

Double sin

Further, it involves a double sin, along with the sin of backbiting the dead. Hurt is caused to the relations of the deceased. If one owes some money to the dead, one can always obtain release from this 6 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

obligation by paying the money to the relatives of the deceased person. However, if you backbite the dead, his relatives cannot forgive your offence.

Exchange of reward

To backbite or to listen to backbiting affords great pleasure, but torment, which the offenders will have to endure for this in the hereafter, will be very heavy. Just as there will be an exchange of reward and faults for backbiting, listening to backbiting or slandering someone. This exchange will be carried out in the following form.

The reward of the wrongdoer who misappropriates someone’s right or dishonours him in anyway shall be transferred to the wronged party who has been deprived of money or backbiting. If the score is not settled by transference of reward, the faults of the wrongdoer shall be transferred to the account of the wrongdoer and the person will be sent to hell.

The subject has been clearly dealt with in the hadith. There are indeed sensible people who keep their tongue under restraint. They do no speak ill of anyone. They neither backbite nor listen to it. It is observed that many people commemorate Allah, The Exalted, and recite the Qur’an frequently, offer long prayers and perform many other good works. But since they do not take care to avoid backbiting and slandering, they all render their reward in vain.

It is a duty upon everyone who believes in Allah, The Exalted, and the last day to protect him or herself from backbiting, listening to backbiting, slandering, abusing, mimicking or ridiculing anyone. The person should ask for forgiveness from all those whose rights have been taken, whom he has backbitten or has heard being backbitten or has uttered in his presence or absence anything that might have hurt him. If he cannot ask forgiveness directly, he should do so through correspondence. If the man who’s right you have taken is dead. You should perform many deeds as on the Day of Judgement if your reward is given to that person then at least you may have some left. You should pray for his salvation as much as would convince anyone that you have done wrong for the sin of backbiting him or speaking ill of him or hearing someone backbiting him or slandering him.

What to do?

If on some occasion backbiting starts, those presents should try to stop it and take the side of the person who is backbitten. If you cannot rebut the backbiting you should feel disgust at it in your heart and the assembly. At least it is in your power to leave the assembly. There is no compulsion on you to listen to backbiting just as there is no compulsion on anyone to backbite anyone. If you imagine the suffering of hell fire, it becomes easy to renounce every sin. We will mention what a person can do when people start to backbite.

Punishment in this world

Anas, May Allah be pleased with him, reported the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying: “Whosoever having power helps his brother when someone backbites him (that is he supports him, defends him and steps the backbiter), Allah, The Exalted, will help in this world and the hereafter, however, if he did not help while having the power to do so, Allah, The Exalted, will punish him in this world and in the next.”8

8 Mishkat ul Masabih

Unfortunately today we join in this evil act but will not try to stop them or defend the person who is being talked about. May Allah, The Exalted, help us all to abstain from this sin. 7 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Removed from hell

Abu Darda, May Allah be pleased with him, reported the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Any Muslim who defends the honour of his brother (that is, supports him when he is being dishonoured and rebut those who are backbiting him), Allah will take it upon himself to remove hell from him on the Day of Resurrection.” Subhan-Allah!

Respected brother/sister! We should make the intention in our hearts that we will strictly avoid backbiting or listen to backbiting, ridiculing or mocking anyone. Save your family and friends from any talk that casts a slur on a Muslim in their presence or absence.

Silence is salvation

The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, has said: “The one who remains silent achieves peace.”9

9 Tirmidhi

10 Baihaqi

11 In another hadith it is reported that he did not save himself from the sprays caused by urination.

12 Mishkat ul Masabih

13 Abu Dawood

In another hadith the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “To remain silent is better than praying for sixty years.”10

Look at the reward Allah, The Exalted, is giving for such a person. May Allah give us the ability to remain silent and only us our tongues when necessary.

Punishment in the grave

Once the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by two graves. He said “Verily, these two are suffering torment and the torment is not for anything big (something which is hard to give up, though it is a capital sin).” Thereafter said: “One of them did not observe privacy at the time of going to the toilet.”11 “The other person carried tales against one another.”12

Two lessons can be learnt from this Hadith, first that those who stand up and urinate and do not clean themselves shown by the Prophet beware, this is a cause of being punished in the grave and the other lesson is that a person who does not control the tongue and talks ill of a person will also be punished.

Two faces and two tongues

Ammar, May Allah be pleased with him, reported the Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, warned: “Whosoever had two faces in the world, he shall have two tongues on fire on the day of resurrection.”13

The person is spoken of as having two faces because to every party showed a sympathetic face. Such people presented one face to one party and a different to another. May Allah forgive us and save us from such people, Ameen! There is no harm in meeting two parties. However you should make each party realise its mistakes and try to reconcile them. Do not for the flames of strike by calling each party right to its face and confirming them in their intransigence. Fear Allah, The Exalted, who is omniscient and all-powerful.

From the Hadith quoted above it should be crystal clear that talking ill of another brings no benefit. One who backbites receives punishment and is void of the Mercy of Allah. Let us now understand the disease. 8 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Understanding the disease

1. One kind of talk is always beneficial.

2. One kind of talk is always harmful.

3. One kind of talk is mixed with harm and benefit.

4. And one kind of talk has got no harm or benefit.

The talk that is always harmful, it is essential to remain silent. The talk that has got no harm or benefits one must use less and try and obtains from it. The Prophet said, “He who remains silent gets salvation.”

Let us look at some example of backbiting so that we get a better understanding of it hence, we can abstain from this evil, Allah willing.

Examples of Backbiting

He is sarcastic, He is a sweet talker, He acts clever, he thought I was a fool, , he talks too much, he’s boring, he’s deceptive, he acts a lot, thinks he’s great, he is of bad character, he does black magic, he talks rubbish, he’s like that, thinks he knows it all, he is a coward, he doesn’t know how to speak, he’s an oppressor, he’s a thief, he’s not trustworthy, he takes bribes, you can’t trust him, he’s always fighting, he causes corruption, he’s illiterate, he’s a fool, he is uneducated, he eats to much, he always wants freebees, he sells his self for his own gains, he is ungrateful, he has killed many, he’s a gangster, he’s an alcoholic, he’s a child molester, he stinks, he accepts rumours, he’s proud, he’s watches films, he’s lazy, he’s not got patience, he’s dirty minded, he’s learnt the Qur’an and forgotten it, he’s greedy, you can’t trust him, he eats unlawful, he’s hot headed, he always says “Me, Me”, He always want praise, he keen sitting at the front, he is a miser, he backbites, he shows off, he cries to show others, he makes things up, his intention is not right, he is a liar, he is a fraudster, he is a fitna, he is a gambler, he oppresses his wife, he sleeps a lot, he recites naats for money, he can’t do speeches, he wastes money, he loves his wealth, etc. these are just some of the words used today in our communities. May Allah save us from all the above and others too.

Examples of backbiting of clothing

The design on his/her clothing is not good. His/her clothing is dirty, looks like he/she has worn his/her big brother’s/sister’s clothing etc. To say something regarding a person’s clothing that would offend them whether it is in front of them or behind their back is backbiting.

Example of backbiting of a house

His house, shop was not clean. His toilet was dirty. He hasn’t had his house or shop painted. Is it a house or a dump etc. Again to say anything about a person’s property that will offend them if said in front whether it is true it would be backbiting and if not true then it will be slander which is worse than backbiting.

Backbiting in worship

He doesn’t wake up for Fajr. He prays very quickly. He can’t recite correctly. He doesn’t offer his Salaah. He doesn’t fast in the month of Ramadhan. He doesn’t give Zakah. He is very stingy. He doesn’t know the rules of Salaah, fasting, Zakah and hajj etc.

Backbiting about the body

He is too fat, London tower, lanky, shorty, Mini. He is cross eyed. He is blind. Peg leg. Big belly. He walks like a woman. He’s not a man. He’s black. He has a small nose. He speaks from his nose. He is ugly. He is bold etc.

If these are said behind a person’s back and it is true then it is backbiting. And if it is not true then it is slander. These are just some words that are said which are common. Just think if someone said any of 9 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

these words about you behind your back would you be like it? It will offend you. If it hurts you then it can hurt others too! If you hear anybody using such words or any other which would offend another then tell them that what they are saying could lead them to the Hell Fire. Before you speak about another person just think to yourself will that person be pleased with what I am saying or will they be displeased, if you think they will be displeased then that is backbiting, so beware!

Ignorance

People nowadays say ‘I am not backbiting’, ‘I will say it to his face’, or ‘it is the truth’, or ‘I am just making you aware, but don’t tell anyone’, hence in Bahare-Shariat, Part 12, Page 151 it states; Faqih Abul Layth said; “There are four types of backbiting of which one of them is:

1) Disbelief: This is when a person is backbiting he is told don’t back-bite, he says: “This is not backbiting, this is the truth.” He shows something which is forbidden as lawful hence it brings the person out of Islam.

Types of backbiting

1) With the tongue 2) By sign 3) Written 4) By smiling (If a person was praising someone and you smiled as sarcasm which can be seen as “I know who he really is.”) 5) With the hand, feet, head, nose, lips, tongues, eyes, eye brows, forehead, the fact of the matter is to do it in such a way that another person understands his faults is all included in backbiting. 6) To backbite in the heart, for instance, to think of someone as bad without evidence, even if a person smells of alcohol you can’t call him a drinker because he may have put it in his mouth and spat it out and rinsed his mouth out.

To listen to backbiting is a major sin

If someone is backbiting then:

1) Stop him and gain reward. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Whosoever protects his (Muslim) brother’s respect behind his back then he is in the mercy of Allah, The Exalted, and that he will free him from the fire of Hell”.14

14 Musnad Imam Ahmed, Vol; 16, page 461.

15 Ihya-ul-uloom Vol 3, page 348

16 Ihya-ul-uloom Vol 3, page 318

2) If one can’t stop the person then leave.

3) If you are scared of the backbiter and you can’t stop the person or leave, or change the conversation, then think badly of it in your heart. (That means hate the bad deed not the person who is doing the bad deed).

4) Then do not take part in the backbiting, don’t be interested in it (look hear and there so that you are not drawn to listen) Do something that changes the talk.15

Causes of backbiting

1) Anger/hatred for someone arises in his or her mind when there is a cause of anger 2) Jealousy 3) Excessive talking 4) Habit of Joking 5) Being upset by friends or relatives 8) Pride 9) No Fear of Allah, The Exalted. 10) To please friends and companions. 11) Something that does not scare you from the fear of Allah, The Exalted. 12) To hide your own faults by backbiting others 13) To praise someone to make another a fool 14) To disrespect someone.

Qutada, May Allah be pleased with him, states: “I have been told the punishment in the grave is separated into three parts, 1/3 of the punishment is for backbiting; 1/3 for slander and 1/3 urinating and not protecting oneself from the spray of urination.16

Accusations

When there is a problem in the house or an illness people get evil thoughts for instance; may be someone has done magic and one goes to a person who makes amulets (Taweez). If this person then says a close relative has done magic, one thinks it may be the daughter-in-law or the sister-in-law and at times this person may tell them the first letter of the name or even the full name and at times they 10 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

get out a doll with pins in it or amulets, hence people have blind faith in these people and then start to backbite and slander without any evidence.

If a person says your family has done magic and then to accuse your sister-in-law or daughter-in-law falls in the category of slander. It is forbidden and an act that takes you to the Hell Fire. One can get an amulet without taking the name of the person who has done the magic. The evidence should be according to Islamic law, meaning two males or one male and two females that have seen the magic actually being done. If there are no witnesses and if the accused takes an oath that I haven’t done this then you must believe them and to repent is obligatory (Fardh) and if you told other people you have to tell them you lied and made an accusation. The desires will not want to repent; however, it is up to the individual to either sort it out in this world or the hereafter!

Types of backbiting

1) To copy someone who is disabled and can’t walk properly is worse than backbiting someone with your tongue.

2) To backbite without mentioning any names is not a sin. However, if you didn’t mention any names and whoever you are addressing knows who you are talking about then this will be backbiting.

3) To talk bad of a dead Muslim is also backbiting.

4) For a person to say or think that I can tell the person to their face, this will be backbiting as the reason for backbiting being forbidden is to hurt a person, now telling someone to their face will hurt them even more.

5) Backbiting can also be done for instance if someone said something about a person and you said: “All praise be to Allah I am not like that.” Because in reality you are saying the person is bad and I am not, hence you have backbitten.

6) To say when someone is talking “Leave it out; I know what the person is like.” You have mentioned the person’s fault hence it falls in the category of backbiting.

7) Backbiting can be done with a sign gesture i.e. with the hand, eyes, head etc.

8) Writing an article or a letter.

As Muslims we should be saving the respect of another Muslim and in some cases to lie is also permitted. However, this is only in very rare situations. It is not even permissible to degrade yourself, for instance, if someone asked did you do this sin? The person should reject as to tell others of your sin is another sin. Telling others about missing Salaah, I saw such a film, I did this in my days etc. Is a major sin so beware and abstain from it!

When is backbiting permissible?

1) To backbite about a community or an area is not a sin as there are always some good people, but if he means to hurt everyone for instance, ‘Not a single person understands’ then this will be backbiting.

2) To tell people about a person’s corrupt beliefs.

3) To save a person from someone who is selling goods that are not good quality and then only to speak about the goods not the person who is doing the selling.

4) To seek advise (i.e. for partnership in business or looking for a marriage partner). If you know any faults then you should tell them. This is because if the other person suffers in the future and you knew about it then you could have saved them from this sort of suffering by making them aware. 11 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

5) To tell a judge about someone who stole goods or has oppressed, etc.

6) Only with the intention of correcting someone (If you can’t do it yourself). To tell a father of his son, a wife of his husband, a student of his teacher.

7) To get an Islamic ruling (Fatwa) one can write the name of the person doing the bad deed, but it is better to write “Zaid” instead of the person’s name.

8) If a person is commonly known by his defects such as he is blind or short then just for recognition there is no problem to describe the defect.

9) If a person is an open sinner, for instance, the person openly gambles, then to tell people about it.

10) To tell people about a person who shaves his beard or cuts it under a fist or drinks alcohol etc. and only about the sins.

11) If a person oppresses openly then to tell other’s of it.

12) In order to be sorry about a person’s wrong action, however, if a person just say’s it but in the heart is not sorry then he will be involved in three sins i.e. of backbiting, hypocrisy and showing off.

13) To talk about a non-Muslim.

How to repent from backbiting

Repent to Allah, The Exalted, with sincerity and the compensation for backbiting is to make supplication of forgiveness for the person. If you do not remember their name then say: “O Allah, The Exalted, all the backbiting I have done to date I repent and seek forgiveness. O Allah, The Exalted, all the Muslims who I have backbitten, with the intercession of the beloved Prophet, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, forgive me.” The condition of the acceptance of forgiveness is that it be sincere and it is not done again.

Forgiveness to the individual

Whosoever one has backbitten and is not aware of it then one doesn’t need to ask personally for forgiveness, however, if the person knows then be good to the person and with respect ask the person for forgiveness. If the person does not forgive then you will not be responsible in the hereafter, and if it was not asked with sincerity and the person does forgive then there is a fear of questioning about this on the day of judgement.

If a person who one has backbitten has passed away then according to Imam Muhammad Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, May Allah be pleased with him, states: “One should perform many good deeds so that if on the day of judgement your deeds are taken away because of backbiting, you will still have some deeds left.”17

17 Bahare Shariat

18 Abu Dawood, Vol 3, page 297

Repenting from slander

If one has said something about another which is not true, whether it be in front or behind their back it is slander. If other people are aware then it is necessary to go to each individual and say that ‘I lied about such a person.’ It is difficult on the ego, however, it is either done in this world or it will be very difficult in the Hereafter. No one can with stand the punishment of the Hell-Fire!

It states in the Hadith that whosoever slanders another Muslim, then Allah, The Exalted, will keep them in a place called “Radghat-Ul-Khabal” till the punishment is given.18 ‘Radghat-Ul-Khabal’ is a place in which the blood and puss of the people of Hell is gathered. 12 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

Remedies of backbiting

The general medicine is that the backbiter should have the knowledge that in case of backbiting he will fall in the wrath of Allah and that his reward will be lost on the day of resurrection. Backbiting is like eating a dead animal. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Backbiting consumes the reward of a man sooner then the fire consumes dry wood.”

1) Anger should be bought under complete control, if you are determined to take revenge upon a person out of anger, know that Allah, The Exalted, will take revenge upon you out of anger for your backbiting on which he has prohibited you from.

2) You should know that if you incur the displeasure of Allah, The Exalted, by pleasing your friends, Allah, The Exalted, would be furious on you. How can you give up Allah, The Exalted, by pleasing your friends?

3) You should know that Allah’s wrath will fall on you and that you are causing yourself to be punished in the next world by hiding your guilt in this world.

4) You should know that if you envy anybody for his riches and honour in the world, you would be burnt in the hell fire.

5) After completing your work and religious duties, spent time on your own, or spend time in the company of those people who fear Allah, The Exalted, or in the company of those who remember Allah, The Exalted, do not spend time in the company of people who just talking with out care or shame.

6) Next time you feel like backbiting think of the punishment of Hell and eating the flesh of a dead person. We can’t even eat Halal raw meat, let alone the dead person’s meat which is stinky and covered with red warm blood.

7) Allah, The Exalted, revealed to the Prophet Musa, upon whom be peace, the person who repents after backbiting will enter paradise last and the one who dies backbiting will enter Hell-Fire.19

19 Muqashifatul Quloob

20 Muqashifatul Quloob

21 Muqashifal Quloob

8) Many people backbite about scholars in this day and age one who does that will have written on their face on the day of judgement ‘This person is empty of the mercy of Allah, The Exalted’.20 Those who backbite the scholars of Ahl-e-Sunnah have no mercy of Allah, The Exalted, and there is no place but the Hell-Fire for that person.

9) Fix a penalty for yourself i.e. that if I backbite I will have to give a pound in charity.

10) Abul Layth Bukhari, May Allah be pleased with him, said: “To backbite once is worse that committing adultery a hundred times.”21 This is how serious it is.

11) Before backbiting think to yourself: ‘Is it worth it as I will have to give all my rewards to the one I am backbiting.’ A pious person once said: If you want to backbite, then backbite your father as he has the right of your reward.

12) You have made a man look like a fool in presence of some people, but you will be ridiculed before all the creation on the day of resurrection.

13 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

13) Let us look at our own faults instead of looking at others as there is always room for improvement. One of the reasons people backbite is to cover their own faults.

We should understand that the Qur’an and Sunnah have taught us methods of improving our character. One will be saved from sin and be respected when put into practise. May Allah save us from this evil act and give us the ability to keep control of our tongues.

SPEACIAL REQUEST

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