Also, his last question says: I want to avoid backbiting and talebearing, so tell us about the nature of backbiting and also tell us about the nature of talebearing?

The questioner : Also, his last question says: I want to avoid backbiting and talebearing, so tell us about the nature of backbiting and also tell us about the nature of talebearing?

The Shaykh : Backbiting was defined by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with the clearest definition, where he said: If you say, for example, "So-and-so is one-eyed," "So-and-so is blind," "So-and-so is short," or "So-and-so has such and such," and you use that to insult him, that is backbiting. Likewise, if you say, "So-and-so is a fool, he has a bad character, he has such and such," and you use that to insult him, that is also backbiting.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Likewise, if you say, "So-and-so is an open sinner," or "So-and-so has such and such bad deeds," and you use that to insult him, that is backbiting.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So backbiting is mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes, meaning in a way he dislikes being mentioned, whether it is a physical feature, a character trait, or an action. As for talebearing, it is going between people with what causes division among them. For example, you come to so-and-so and say, "So-and-so is talking about you with such and such, he is cursing you, he is insulting you, he is saying such and such about you," in order to create division between them. Talebearing is going between people with what causes division among them, and both of these actions are despicable and among the major sins.
So backbiting is one for which Allah gave an example that every soul finds repulsive.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So He, the Exalted and Majestic, said: Thus, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, made the backbiting of a person like eating his flesh while he is dead. He described it as eating his flesh while he is dead because the one who is backbitten cannot defend himself, so he is like a dead person whose flesh is eaten, unable to ward it off. Some people, or some scholars, have mentioned that the one who backbites people will be presented with them on the Day of Resurrection as dead, and he will be commanded to eat their flesh, and this is undoubtedly a type of great punishment.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : As for talebearing, it is established in the two Sahihs from the hadith of Ibn Abbas: By this, it is known that talebearing is one of the causes of the punishment of the grave. We ask Allah for safety and well-being.

The questioner : We seek refuge in Allah.

The Shaykh : Yes.