Keeping company with one who backbites and engages in talebearing

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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, what is your advice for one who keeps company with someone who does not have good character, backbites people, and spreads talebearing? He has been advised several times, but he does not turn back. Should he keep his company or not?

Answer:
He should not keep company with him. If he is engaged in talebearing, backbiting, and belittling people, he should stay away from him so that he is not afflicted with his ailment, for a bad companion affects his companion, just as a good companion affects his companion.
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The parable of the good companion and the companion of evil is like the bellower of the bellows,

مثل الجليس الصالح وجليس السوء كنافخ الكير،

The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like the carrier of musk and the bellower at the forge. The good companion is like the carrier of musk: either you buy musk from him, or he gives you some of his musk, or you find a pleasant smell from him while you are with him. So you do not lose the fragrance with a good companion.

مثل الجليس الصالح وجليس السوء كحامل المسك. الجليس الصالح مثل حامل المسك. اما ان تشتري منه مسكا واما ان يعطيك من مسكه واما ان تجد منه رائحة طيبة وقت وجودك معه. فانت لا تفقد الطيب مع الجليس الصالح.

and the example of a bad companion is

but the one who is blowing a pair of bellows will either burn your clothes or you will get

وَنَافِخُ الْكِيرِ إِمَّا أَنْ يُحْرِقَ ثِيَابَكَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَجِدَ

Sahih al-Bukhari 5534

from him a foul smell. Yes.

Source الاستقامة على دين الله — alfawzan.live (53:24)

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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