The Expiation for Backbiting, and Whether It Is Achieved by Apologizing to the One Who Was Backbitten

The Shaykh : ... It is widespread, and it is the expiation for backbiting: apologizing to the one you backbitten. This has no basis in the Shari'ah. It is the claim that if you backbitten someone and you want to repent with sincere repentance, you must apologize to them. There is no evidence for this. It is sufficient for the one who backbitten to repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for having backbitten his brother. Either he should make du'a' for the backbitten brother in his absence, or he should make du'a' for him if he knows that apologizing to him would increase the problems. There is a clear hadith on this matter, but we mention it while clarifying its weakness and do not use it as a proof; because its chain of narration is weak. It says, "The expiation for the one you backbitten is that you seek forgiveness for him." If this hadith were authentic, it would be a decisive proof in this case. But its chain is weak. So let us rely on what correct reasoning dictates: avoiding stirring up problems because of a mistake you made against your Muslim brother if you apologize to him face to face. Let the one who backbitten repent to Allah and let him make du'a' for the backbitten one, believing that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) will forgive his sin along with his.