Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And do not defame one another."

The Shaykh : "Do not defame one another" means do not criticize them. It is well known that a person does not criticize himself, is that not so?
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : Even if he had the greatest defect, he would not criticize himself. The good among us is the one who has a defect and knows of it, but he does not defame himself in front of people by saying, "Oh people, I have such and such defects." No. So how did He say "one another"? It means do not defame your brothers who are in the position of what? Their own selves. This brother of yours is in the position of your own self. So if you are not pleased to defame yourself, and you will not defame yourself, then do not defame your brother, because he is in the position of your own self. And listen to the saying of Allah the Exalted regarding the story of the slander: Who is meant by "themselves"? It means the Mother of the Believers, A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). It means, had they not thought well of those to whom what was said in the slander was attributed, until they knew that the matter was a lie, what? So, do not defame one another, what? Do not defame your brothers who are in the position of yourselves. Defamation is less than mockery; mockery is more severe because in mockery there is a type of elevation over the one mocked. But defaming a defect, even if it is not mockery, is prohibited. "Do not defame one another," what is that like? Do not criticize yourselves, what is that like? Saying, "This one is one-eyed, this one is cross-eyed, this one is dirty," yes, and so on. Or defaming them by their action or their character.