Backbiting
and Slander
'...Allah
will defend him in this world and in the next....'
And why did you not,
when you heard it, say? "It is not right of us to speak of this:
Glory to God, this is a most serious slander" (Quran 24:16)
A commentary on one of the most
destructive of major sins
Islam is a religion of
peace, love and compassion. Lies, suspicion, back biting, slander and gossip
are totally alien to Islam. In fact they are considered amongst the most
destructive of major sins. This is so because these sins sow enmity and discord
among the Muslim Ummah and lead to its destruction. They cause hostilities
between people of the same household, and between neighbors, friends and
relatives.
Islam demands that our
relationship with mankind should be one of sincerity and responsibility. It
should be one where we have respect for the honor, reputation and privacy of
others. Islam teaches us that we are not only held accountable for our own
attitudes and actions but also for anything else over which we have control or
influence over, in our society or the world around us.
Verses: Let's see what the
Quran states about backbiting and slander - 'This is the Book, in it is guidance
sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah'. (2:2)
Allah has forbidden the
believers from backbiting
O you who believe!
Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither
backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead
brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah, verily, Allah
is the one who accepts repentance, Most Merciful. (49: 12)
When we reflect deeply over
this assimilation it should be enough to keep us away from backbiting!
Do not treat the issue of
Backbiting & Slander with indifference because it is a great sin
Behold, you received
it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things which you had no
knowledge; and you thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious
in the sight of Allah (24: 15)
Many of us back bite and gossip
without thinking. We think it is minor matter, however Allah reminds us to be
careful and even though we think we are doing something little it is in fact
very big in the sight of Allah!
Allah teaches us to speak
out against Slander and try to put a stop to it
And why did you not,
when you heard it, say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to
Allah, this is a most serious slander" (24:16)
Many
people are so busy spreading the slander they hear that they do not even stop
to think if it is true or not.
Shaitan (Satan) wants us to
use our tongue to create conflict and hatred
Say to My servants
that they should only say those things that are best, for Satan does sow
dissensions among them, for Satan is to man an avowed enemy. (17:53)
Are we falling into
Shaitan's (Satan's) trap? We can all analyze ourselves.
Hadiths: Let's see what
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said about Backbiting in the hadiths.
Allah states in the Quran - You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern
of conduct. (33:21)
The definition of
Backbiting & Slander
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be
Upon Him) said :"Do you know what backbiting
is?" They said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He then
said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike."
Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?" The Messenger of
Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "If what you say about him is true, you
are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him."
(Muslim)
We should guard our tongue
from sins and use our limbs in acts of obedience
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be
Upon Him) said : "Who protects his tongue from
unlawful utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual intercourse, I
shall guarantee him entrance into Paradise." (Bukhari and Muslim)
The definition of the
best muslim
"I asked the Messenger
of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him): Who is the best Muslim? The Messenger of
Allah(Peace Be Upon Him) replied, "He is the one
from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands."
(Muslim)
Deriding people in their
presence by making negative facial expressions or by hand gestures while they
are unaware is also a form of backbiting.
We need to beware of the
slipping of our tongues
"When
man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue
saying, ‘Fear Allah as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright,
we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked.’"
(At-Tirmidhee)
Summary
Backbiting and slander is so
widespread that it has become the topic of people’s meetings and an avenue for
expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy. Those who indulge in
backbiting are oblivious of the fact that they are only harming themselves.
This is because of the fact that on the Day of Resurrection both the wrongdoer
and the wronged will stand before Allah, Who is the Just Judge, Allah will then
give this wronged person from the good deeds of the person who wronged him in
accordance with his wrong by backbiting.
Some situations allow us to
inform others of what someone has done. It is allowed for us to inform the
authorities when someone does injustice to us or others. It is allowed for us
to inform someone who can help a perpetrator from committing further vice. It
is also permissible for us to tell whoever seeks our advice on a person for
business dealings or marriage. In this case it is not allowed for us to hide
what we know about the person so that the enquirer will not be deceived. All
these types of speaking about others are lawful.
Islam teaches us that if
people are being ridiculed or backbited in our presence, we should defend their
honor. If we neglect this, we shall deprive ourselves of ever needed help and
mercy from Allah - If a man's Muslim brother is slandered in his presence, and
he is capable of defending him and does so, Allah will defend him in
this world and in the next. But if he fails to defend him,
Allah will destroy him in this world and the next. (Baghawi). What will we do
the next time we are tempted to backbite or hear slander in our presence? Right
now the choice is ours!
We ask Allah the Most High,
the All Powerful, to teach us that which will benefit us, and to benefit us by
that which we learn. May Allah grant blessings and peace to our Prophet
Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his family and companions.
