Backbiting: A Great Calamity

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Backbiting is a great calamity that is far too common in our daily lives, sometimes we don't think much of it, but can plunge us into the Hellfire, if we are the backbiter. Even if we are only the listener, we will not escape the punishment unless we denounce the action (in our hearts, if we are afraid to do it outwardly) and change the subject of the conversation or walk away, if we are able to do so.

Allah Almighty says

وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ ﴿٢﴾ يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ ﴿٣﴾ كَلَّا ۖ لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ ﴿٤﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ ﴿٥﴾ نَارُ اللَّـهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ ﴿٦﴾ الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ ﴿٧﴾ إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ ﴿٨﴾ فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ ﴿٩

Woe unto every backbiter, slanderer, (1) who has gathered riches and counted them over (2) thinking his riches have made him immortal! (3) No indeed; he shall be thrust into the Crusher; (4) and what shall teach thee what is the Crusher; (5) The Fire of God kindled (6) roaring over the hearts (7) covered down upon them, (8) in columns outstretched. (9)

[Qur'an Al-Humazah 104:1-9]

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢

O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (12)

[Qur’an Al-Hujurat 49:12]

لَّا يُحِبُّ ٱللَّـهُ ٱلْجَهْرَ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَن ظُلِمَ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّـهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا ﴿١٤٨﴾ إِن تُبْدُوا۟ خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُوا۟ عَن سُوٓءٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا ﴿١٤٩

Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged. And ever is Allah Hearing and Knowing. (148) If [instead] you show [some] good or conceal it or pardon an offense - indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Competent. (149)

[Qur’an, An-Nisa 4:148-149]

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

When I was taken up to heaven (i.e. during the Mi`raj) I passed by people who had nails of copper with which they were scratching their faces and their breasts. I said, ‘Who are these [people], O Gabriel?’ He replied: ‘They are those who consumed the flesh of people [i.e. backbite them] and aspersed their honor.’

[Abu Dawood]

Backbiting is to mention the negative points of a specific person known to you, or to imitate them or communicate them with signals or through writing, in a way of insult and hatred.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was asked, "What is backbiting?" He said, "Mentioning your brother with what he detests." He asked, "Have you considered if what I say is really in him?" He answered, "If what you say is in him then you have backbitten him, and if what you say is not in him then you have calumniated/slandered him." [Tirmidhi]

Al-Hasan al-Basri 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.

To avoid this calamity, take heed of what the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, has taught us--to say good or remain silent.

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say [something] good, or he should keep silent.

[Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, warned us:

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.

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, it is imperative not to talk unless you have something of clear benefit to use your tongue.

When you want to start talking about people's faults, realize that you are going to incur Allah's displeasure, and remind yourself that you will lose your good deeds, which you have been struggling to accumulate all your life, to the person you have backbitten, and you will take his sins as well if you don't have enough good deeds to compensate him.

People's faults are meant for us to look at ourselves in the mirror. If we are honest to ourselves, we should feel very ashamed before Allah that we have such mountain heap of faults, and ask Allah for forgiveness, making lots of istighfar. If you think you have no fault, then you should busy yourself with thanking Allah for saving you from faults.

May Allah protect us from evil and from incurring His displeasure. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam