The Ruling on Backbiting an Open Sinner
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What is the ruling on backbiting an open sinner?
Backbiting an open sinner is forbidden; because the open sinner is among the believers, and it is not permissible for a person to violate the honor of his Muslim brother, and the evidence that the open sinner is among the believers is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: [al-Baqarah: 178] The intended meaning of "his brother" who was killed is: [al-Baqarah: 178] Thus, He made the one who was killed a brother to the one who killed him, and it is known that the killer has committed a major sin from the great major sins about which Allah said: [al-Nisa: 93] And the Exalted said regarding the two warring factions: [al-Hujurat: 9] up to His saying: [al-Hujurat: 9] up to where He said: [al-Hujurat: 10] .
And it is known that the fighting of believers against one another is disbelief,As the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Abusing a Muslim is open sinfulness and fighting him is disbelief), and if it becomes clear that the open sinner has not exited from faith—even if his faith is deficient—then it is not permissible to backbite him except if there is a benefit in doing so,So there is no harm in saying, for example: such as saying so-and-so does such and such, as a warning against what he did, and if there is no benefit in that, then the original ruling is that his honor is protected;Because he is among the believers, and Allah the Exalted said: [al-Hujurat: 12] .
Backbiting an open sinner is forbidden; because the open sinner is among the believers, and it is not permissible for a person to violate the honor of his Muslim brother, and the evidence that the open sinner is among the believers is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالْأُنْثَى بِالْأُنْثَى فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَاءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَانٍBut whoever overlooks from his brother anything
فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌBut whoever kills a believer intentionally - his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.
وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِناً مُتَعَمِّداً فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَاباً عَظِيماًAnd if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two
وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَاBut if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.
فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَThe believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَAnd it is known that the fighting of believers against one another is disbelief,As the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Abusing a Muslim is open sinfulness and fighting him is disbelief), and if it becomes clear that the open sinner has not exited from faith—even if his faith is deficient—then it is not permissible to backbite him except if there is a benefit in doing so,So there is no harm in saying, for example: such as saying so-and-so does such and such, as a warning against what he did, and if there is no benefit in that, then the original ruling is that his honor is protected;Because he is among the believers, and Allah the Exalted said: