Definition of Backbiting
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
If I asked you: What is backbiting?
(Mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes) This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defined it, and he is the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the meanings of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.And Allah the Exalted said in His Book: [Surah al-Hujurat: 12] It was said: What is backbiting, O Messenger of Allah?He said: Mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes—whether that is in his character, his dealings, his body and appearance, or anything else your brother dislikes; if you mention him with it in his absence, this is backbiting.It is said: O Messenger of Allah! What do you say if my brother has what I am saying?He said: If he has what you are saying, you have backbitten him; and if he does not have what you are saying, you have slandered him) meaning: you have slandered him along with backbiting. The Messenger (peace be upon him)—pay attention to this rule—mentions the most specific description while the described thing includes it and others.So here, when He said: (You have slandered him) Does this mean: you did not backbite him? No.
Rather, it means: You have slandered him along with backbiting.
And the like of this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions one day: (I wish we had seen our brothers.They said: O Messenger of Allah! Are we not your brothers?He said: You are my Companions.
And my brothers are a people who will come after you, who believe in me and have not seen me) May Allah make me and you among his brothers.
Here He said: (You are my Companions),And He said about those who come after them: They are his brothers,So does the meaning: You are my Companions and not my brothers? No.
Rather, they are his Companions and his brothers; but companionship is more specific than brotherhood.
Likewise, when He said about backbiting: (Mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes,It was said: O Messenger of Allah! What do you say if my brother has what I am saying?So he said: If he has what you are saying, you have backbitten him; and if he does not have what you are saying, you have slandered him) The meaning of "you have slandered him" is: you have slandered him along with backbiting.
(Mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes) This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defined it, and he is the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the meanings of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.And Allah the Exalted said in His Book:
or backbite each other
وَلا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاًRather, it means: You have slandered him along with backbiting.
And the like of this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions one day: (I wish we had seen our brothers.They said: O Messenger of Allah! Are we not your brothers?He said: You are my Companions.
And my brothers are a people who will come after you, who believe in me and have not seen me) May Allah make me and you among his brothers.
Here He said: (You are my Companions),And He said about those who come after them: They are his brothers,So does the meaning: You are my Companions and not my brothers? No.
Rather, they are his Companions and his brothers; but companionship is more specific than brotherhood.
Likewise, when He said about backbiting: (Mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes,It was said: O Messenger of Allah! What do you say if my brother has what I am saying?So he said: If he has what you are saying, you have backbitten him; and if he does not have what you are saying, you have slandered him) The meaning of "you have slandered him" is: you have slandered him along with backbiting.