The Ruling on Backbiting When a Person Has What Is Said About Them
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Q: Some people—may Allah guide them—do not consider backbiting to be a blameworthy or forbidden matter, and some say: if a person has what we are saying about him, then backbiting him is not forbidden, ignoring the hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I ask the Shaykh to clarify this. May Allah reward you with good.
A: Backbiting is forbidden and is one of the major sins, whether the defect exists in the person or not; for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he was asked about backbiting, he said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4874Sahih (Al-Albani) It was said: What do you say if my brother has what I am saying? He said: Sahih Muslim 2589.
It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that on the night of the Ascension, he saw a group of people with nails of brass who were scratching their faces and chests with them. He asked about them, and it was said to him: These are the ones who eat the flesh of people and defame their honor. And the Exalted said: [Al-Hujurat: 12]. Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman to be cautious of backbiting and to advise one another to abandon it; in obedience to Allah the Exalted and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and out of the Muslim’s concern to cover the faults of his brothers and not expose their private matters, and because backbiting is among the causes of hatred and enmity and the division of society. And success is from Allah.
A: Backbiting is forbidden and is one of the major sins, whether the defect exists in the person or not; for it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he was asked about backbiting, he said:
It is saying something about your brother which he would dislike
ذكرك أخاك بما يكرهIf (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.
إن كان فيه ما تقول فقد اغتبته، وإن لم يكن فيه فقد بهتهIt is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that on the night of the Ascension, he saw a group of people with nails of brass who were scratching their faces and chests with them. He asked about them, and it was said to him: These are the ones who eat the flesh of people and defame their honor. And the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.