Backbiting and slandering are amongst the gravest sins in Islam, as they stand strictly prohibited by both the Quran and the Hadith. There are heavy risks and implications involved here, not only for the individual but also for the community. Here’s a summarized paraphrased overview of key points regarding it:
1. Definitions and Prohibition
- Backbiting: Talking negatively about someone behind his or her back, even if you’re talking true things.
- Slandering: Spreads lies or false statements about hurting someone.
The Qur’an threatens such acts of behaviour:
- Surah Al-Hujurat (49:12) “O you who believe, avoid excessive suspicion. Some suspicion is sinful. Do not spy or backbite one another. Would you like to eat the flesh of your dead brother? You would detest it.”* This vivid simile makes it even more significant and abhorrent the act of speaking behind someone’s back.
2. Afterlife Rewards
One who forms this practice of backbiting and slander may face serious results in the Hereafter, like losing his good deeds, meeting Allah’s anger, and many more:
Hadith
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: When anyone defends his brother’s honor against him, Allah will defend him from the fire on the Day of Resurrection.\” — Sunan At-Tirmidhi
This emphasizes the aspect that safeguards others’ honor as a way of attaining divine protection.
- Hadith: The Prophet (peace be upon him) described a vision:
«I looked whereupon I saw the people with copper nails scratching their faces and chests. I said, ‘Who are they, O Jibreel?’ He said, ‘They are of those who have eaten the flesh of other people (backbiters) and harmed their reputations.’» — Sunan Abu Dawood
That is really true about the big reward the perpetrators of backbiting will get.
3. Social Impact
Backbiting and slander promote only division, mistrust, and hostility, subsequently tearing relationships apart and violating moral conscience. Islam promotes a culture of unity, goodness, and consideration for someone’s dignity. Since backbiting runs directly against these values, it has the potential to be destructive.
4. Avoid Backbiting and Slandering
According to the teachings of Islam, an individual must learn to control one’s tongue and stop gossiping. The Quran advises, in the following verses:
- Surah Al-Isra (17:36):
- “Do not pursue what you have no knowledge of. Indeed, the hearing, sight, and heart will all be questioned.”*
This verse emphasizes the responsibility of Muslims to guard their tongues. - Hadith: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
- “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak good or remain silent.”* — Sahih Al-Bukhari
This advice advises that silence may be better than to commit acts of backbiting.
5. Repentance Seeking Forgiveness
If you have perpetrated backbiting or slander then that call for repentance is all the more important. This includes:
Asking God for forgiveness and seeking opportunity to ask the aggrieved person for forgiveness, if possible).
Invoking God the blameworthy action.
Meaning of Backbiting and Slandering in Islam
Backbiting refers to Ghiibah. Ghiibah is the process of speaking or referring to a person in his absence in a manner that, if he heard it, it would damage his character or reputation. Importantly, this is considered backbiting even if what is said is true. Slandering refers to Buhtaan. It is the spreading of falsehoods or lies concerning a person who is absent and does it with an intention to disgrace him.
As Muslims, we have a huge responsibility not to indulge in backbiting and slander. Both are important grave sins with Quran and Hadith issuing very stiff warnings about them. These actions harm individuals but cause massive destruction to societies and communities in the world.
Digital Era
This risk is higher in today’s digital world where social media provides an easy outlet for the quick spread of information. False rumors or slanders run up the scale so fast that before you know it, it incurs costly and devastating real-life consequences. Just recently tragic incidents of mob lynching in India caused by misleading WhatsApp messages have shown that even the worst things that could happen to this world are not far-fetched for the internet, and thus, this calls upon us as responsible beings to ensure what we share is accurate.
Vigilant Consumption and Information Spreading
We also need to understand that everything said or communicated is not true. We need, therefore, to be cautious, not only on the levels of consuming information but also spreading it. Critical thinkers and avid readers, students of knowledge, rather than uninformed followers, are necessary in finding our ways in the deep pools of information we have today.
Quotes from the Qur’an and Hadith on Backbiting (غيبة)
- Surah Al-Hujurat (49:12):
- Arabic: وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ.”.
- Translation: “And do not backbite each other. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest that. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
- Hadith – Sunan Abi Dawud (4874):
- قيل إلى رَسولِ اللَّهِ: وَمَا الْغَيبَةُ؟ قَالَ: \\”ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ”. قيل: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ؟ قَالَ : “إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدِ اغْتَبْتَهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ”.
- Translation: The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, “What is backbiting?” He said: “It is to mention something about your brother that he dislikes.” And when asked if it was backbiting if what he said was true, he replied: “If it is true, you have backbitten him, and if it is false, you have slandered him.”
- Surah Al-Humazah (104:1):
- Arabic: وَيْلٌ لِكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُمَزَةٍ
- Translation: “Woe to every scorner and mocker.”
- Hadith – Sahih Muslim (2589):
- Arabic: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: “إِنَّمَا الصَّحْبَةُ الْخَيِّرَةُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَتَضَمَّنُ أَنَّ مَنْ يَغْتَابُ فِي الظَّهْرِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَهُ”.
- Translation: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, a good friend in the sight of Allah is the one who does not wrong others by backbiting behind their back.”
- Surah An-Nur (24:19):
Translation: “Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or rumored] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows, while you do not know.”manner. Backbiting is speech about someone in his or her absence and the information is correct, whereas slandering is to spread lies about someone, thus harming his or her repute. It is a serious sin and has harmed not only the individual but societies as well.
Arabic: إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةُ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Qur’anic Advice on Backbiting (غيبة)
- Surah Al-Humazah (104:1):
Translation: “Woe to every (kind of) talker, who talketh evil, with no power over any thing.”
It mentions the severe punishment that awaits them for maligning people. - Surah An-Nur (24:19):
- Translation: “Those who love to spread immorality among believers – for them is a painful torment in both worlds, and Allah knows and you do not know.”
- This verse talks about the punishments of the people who are spreading wrong information and scandals.
- Surah Al-Hujurat 49:12:
- Translation: “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 dead brother? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
- This verse equates backbiting to the most horrific thing a person can do; that is, consuming the flesh of a brother who has died, therefore stating how serious a matter it is.
Hadith on Backbiting
- Hadith from Sunan Abi Dawud:
A man asked the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) whether one, in saying something true of a man who is absent, commits backbiting. The Prophet said, “If what you say of him is true, you have backbitten him. If it is false, you have slandered him.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4874) - Hadith from Sahih Muslim :
- Allah says: “O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Myself and for you, so do not oppress one another.”
- This teaching emphasizes justice and not blowing anyone’s reputation as the acts of oppression.
- Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari:
- While passing by two graves, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “These two are being punished for that which is not serious. One of them failed to protect his private parts from urine and the other used to spread a calumny.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 218)
This indicates how slander can be a cause of punishment even in grave.
- Riyad As-Salihin Hadith:
- At the Day of Resurrection, a person will come with actions of prayers, fasting, and charity, but if he has gone back to people through backbiting or slander, his actions will be distributed against those he wronged, hence becoming bankrupt.
- Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari:
- The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whosoever wronged his brother then he should seek to get the forgiveness of the latter before a day when neither any Dirham nor Dinar will be of any value and on that day recompenses will be rewarded to every wronged man as reward or if there is no good deed to recompense with then the sins of the wronged man will be rewarded to the other. Sahih al-Bukhari 6534
How to Avoid Backbiting
- Self-Restraint: Understand that although backbiting makes provision for a short-term peace of the backbiter, more pain is sure to befall the backbiter himself or herself. Good merits can be confused and transferred to the one wronged, thus accrued for their benefits instead.
- Defense and Dignity: If you are a victim of backbiting, tell yourself that it brings you closer to Allah on the Day of Judgment. Defend your character with kindness and never retaliate at the same evil game.
Spiritual Awareness: Be conscious of the seriousness with which Allah treats backbiting and slander, for it harms another human being and sends good deeds lost. May Allah protect your tongue, keep you away from sinful deeds, and remind you always that He is Merciful and ready to forgive whom He wills, on proper repentance.
Frequently Asked Questions about Backbiting in Islam
- **What is Backbiting (غِيبة) in Islam?
- Answer: It is to speak about a person something that he dislikes, especially if it refers to his deficiencies or faults.
- Quote: “The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, ‘What is backbiting?’ He said: ‘It is to mention something about your brother that he dislikes.'” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4874)
- Is backbiting always a sin?
- Answer: Yes it is a serious sin and generates splits in a relationship and disunity.
- Quote: “And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest it.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:12)
- What if what I say about someone is true?
- Answer: It may still be considered backbiting, and if not true, it is slander.
- Quote: “If it is true, you have backbitten him, and if it is false, you have slandered him.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4874)
- Is there any punishment for Backbiting?
- Answer: Yes, it may result in losing some of your good deeds, but the wronged person will get rewarded for the same on the Day of Judgment.
- Quote: “Whoever has wronged his brother should ask for his pardon before his death.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6534)
- How can I stop backbiting?
- Solution: Choose your words wisely, be an effective communicator, and do not speak about the person when he or she is not around .
- Quote: “Woe to every scorner and mocker.” Surah Al-Humazah 104:1
- What do I do if I hear a person backbiting?
- Solution: Change the topic, warn him of backbiting, move out of the environment, or positively suggest something.
- Quote: “Indeed, those who love that immorality be spread among those who have believed will have a painful punishment.”. Surah An-Nur 24:19
Conclusion
In Islam, the act of backbiting is taken very seriously; there are serious consequences for it spiritually. Muslims should guard their tongues and protect the respect of others’ dignity to help try and build a society based on mutual respect and understanding. May Allah keep us away from being victims of backbiting and make us steadfast in all aspects of life with dignity and integrity.
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