What is the ruling on being too shy to rebuke those who engage in backbiting and talebearing?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Q: I am a girl who hates backbiting and talebearing. Sometimes I am in the middle of a group of people who talk about the conditions of others and engage in backbiting and talebearing. In my heart, I hate this and detest it, but because I am very shy, I am unable to forbid them from doing it. Also, there is no place for me to move away from them. Allah knows that I wish they would engage in a different topic. Is there a sin on me for sitting with them? And what is required to be done? May Allah guide you to what is best for Islam and the Muslims.
A: You are sinful in that unless you forbid the evil. If they accept it from you, praise be to Allah; otherwise, it is obligatory for you to leave them and not sit with them. This is based on the saying of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He: [Al-An'am: 68], and His saying: : [An-Nisa: 140], and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 49a, which Imam Muslim recorded in his Sahih. The verses and hadiths in this meaning are numerous. And success is from Allah.
A: You are sinful in that unless you forbid the evil. If they accept it from you, praise be to Allah; otherwise, it is obligatory for you to leave them and not sit with them. This is based on the saying of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He:
And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.
وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ وَإِمَّا يُنْسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَى مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَAnd it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them
وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْHe who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
من رأى منكم منكرا فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه، وذلك أضعف الإيمان
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.