Backbiting

We listen to backbiting everyday, either it's from our own mouths or somebody else's. Do we really know how severe this disease actually is? - I'm afraid the answer to that is 'NO'. This is the reason why backbiting has become so common. In fact, it is such a big problem within the Muslim community that no one can say with certainty whether any person is cured from it.

It is such an evil and destructive disease that the Qur'an has mentioned it with such harsh and severe words that have not been used for any other character defect. It says, "Spy not, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? So you would abhor that."

This verse has placed backbiting at par with eating the flesh of ones dead brother. The reality of backbiting is reflected in the comparison the Qur'an gives. Anyone with a sense of humanity couldn't even perpetrate such an act or even contemplate it.

It comes in a Hadith, backbiting is more worse than adultery. Why? Because when one commits adultery, repentance can be gained by seeking forgiveness from Allah but backbiting concerns rights of fellow human beings. The principle in such cases is that the sin is not forgiven unless the person whom the sin was committed on forgives.

What is backbiting? It is to talk about a Muslim behind his back in such a way that if he were to know about it, he would feel hurt and offended. So let us then see how often during the day our conversations include backbiting. I am sure the vast majority would lose count. The people who say they will or able to say it in the person's presence seem to believe that backbiting cannot be repeated in the victim's presence. Backbiting is to talk about someone in a way he finds offensive, whether in his presence or not.

The Prophet (SAW) was asked: "What is backbiting?"
The Prophet (SAW) replied: "To talk about a Muslim brother in a way he doesn't like." The Sahaba then asked, "What if that which I said is actually found in him?" The Prophet (SAW) replied, "If what you say is true, then you have backbitten, but if you lie then you have committed two sins; lying and slandering."

When backbiting, the person does not think about how the other person would feel if he knew what was said about him, he doesn't think as to how he would feel if the positions were reversed. We like backbiting but hate to be backbitten about. The Hadith says: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."

Everyone would hate to be backbitten about so why do we still backbite? We should bring into our hearts the fear of Allah to save us from this grave sin and all other sins.

Backbiting to save a Muslim from harm is permitted, but the best thing is not to talk about anyone in a good way as well because the devil will entice you into mentioning his faults. For example, "He's a good person but he has these habits..."

To save ourselves from this sin and many others, one should act upon this Hadith which deserves to be written in gold. The Hadith states, "Whoever stayed quiet saved himself."

This very sin which Muslims consider right is the sin which could send many to hell. The Prophet (SAW) said, "The tongue is what will cause people to be Hung face down into hell."

May Allah save us from backbiting and cure us from this grave sin.

May Allah save us from the hell fire , and all sins that we have committed.