BACKBITING IN ISLAM AND ITS PUNISHMENT

WHAT IS CONSIDERED BACKBITING IN ISLAM?

To attack the character or reputation of a person who is not present (backbiting).
Speaking false information or lies about a person who is not present (slandering).

As Muslims, it is our responsibility to guard our tongues and to avoid things that are forbidden. The instructions from the Qur’an and hadith are clear regarding the stance on backbiting and slandering. We will explore those in a minute. But first, we’ll explore the real consequences of just how bad things can get.

QURAN VERSES ABOUT BACKBITING:

Here are three verses in the Qur’an which gives us a clear understanding of this evil.

وَيْلٌ لِكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُمَزَةٍ

“Woe to every persistent slanderer, persistent defamer”

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةُ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the Believers, will have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah knows, and ye know not.”

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌۭ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًۭا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

“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.”

BACKBITING ACCORDING TO HADITH:

In the hadith of Abu Dawud 4874, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was asked a question about Ghibah (backbiting). Someone came to him and said what if what I say about my brother is in fact true?

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) replied, if you are right, you have slandered him, and if what you say of him is not true, you have reviled him.^[1]

Abu Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression against one another. ^[2]

In another hadith, upon passing a grave the Prophet (ﷺ) said the person of this grave is being punished for committing a major sin. He went on to say, that the person was being punished for making false and defamatory statements and made friends into enemies.^[3]

What is bankruptcy? We may think it is having no cash, or owing more money to debtors or creditors than that which we have in our own accounts. No, this is not real bankruptcy.

In the hadith, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says the bankrupt one is the one who on the day of resurrection has exhausted all his good deeds. Not because he did not pray or donate to charity but because he “reviled others, brought calumny (false testimony) against others, unlawfully devoured the wealth of others, shed the blood of others and beat others”.

TIP TO AVOID BACKBITING:

I am confident you will think twice about backbiting after reading this. Backbiting at the moment may provide you temporary relief, but know the only person you harm is yourself.

In the hadith, it says the punishment for backbiting is that Allah will take away from your account of good deeds and give it to the one you hurt as an act of compensation. ^[5]

Just think about that… the person you detest is gaining from your inability to control your emotions. You are not only giving them your time, focus, and, attention you are also losing your good deeds AND adding to theirs. What do you really have to gain from this?

You may consider the only person you want to backbite on this earth is your own fathers or mother. ?

On the flip side…

If you are a victim of backbiting take comfort in knowing that they are only helping you on the day of judgment. Of course, protect your character if you feel it is threatened but do so with integrity. Do not fall victim by engaging in the same game. We must show discipline and emotional fortitude and overcome such petty altercations.

Allah Knows best.

May he reward us for being among the ones who take a moral high ground.

References:

[1] Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: Messenger of Allah! What is back-biting? He replied: It is saying something about your brother which he would dislike. He was asked again: Tell me how the matter stands if what I say about my brother is true? He replied: If what you say of him is true, you have slandered him, and if what you say of him is not true, you have reviled him. Sunan Abi Dawud 4874 Sahih (Al-Albani)