How to seek forgiveness for backbiting
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
A listener (M. A. Z.) sent a message containing a long question in which she says about herself: I am a woman who has backbitten a great deal, and no one was safe from my tongue, not even passersby on the road; I backbitten them whether I knew them or not. I backbitten my brothers and sisters, my father, my husband, my neighbors, and my relatives, one by one. And whenever I went to a party, I did not leave anyone out without mentioning them with a fault, for ten years or more. I have repented with the deepest regret and grieved over my former heedlessness, and I have turned to Allah , and may Allah accept it from me. But I have learned that repentance from backbiting requires a condition, which is: that I seek the forgiveness of those I backbitten. How do I seek the forgiveness of my father, my mother, and my brothers from what may breed hatred? And how do I seek the forgiveness of those I do not know, which is difficult and arduous, and I may not find a way to identify them? Is there a way out? And how would it be? Do you advise me to seek forgiveness for this huge group of people? Or what should I do? Please inform me, may Allah reward you with good. And is it sufficient for me to say: “O Allah, forgive everyone I have backbitten,” after every prayer? And may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah. Repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah, and we ask Allah to accept it from you. You must ask Allah for their pardon and forgiveness, and you should mention them with the good you know about them; for those you know, mention them with the good you know of them instead of the evil you mentioned.
As for seeking their forgiveness, it is not obligatory due to the difficulty you mentioned. But if you know them and it is easy to seek their forgiveness, there is no harm in doing so. Say to him: “I did such and such, so forgive me and pardon me,” if it is easy and you do not fear harm. However, if you fear harm, such that seeking their forgiveness would lead to fitnah, enmity, or hostility, then repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah, and seeking their forgiveness is not obligatory.
As for those you do not know, repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah, along with supplicating for their good and seeking forgiveness for them, praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A listener (M. A. Z.) sent a message containing a long question in which she says about herself: I am a woman who has backbitten a great deal, and no one was safe from my tongue, not even passersby on the road; I backbitten them whether I knew them or not. I backbitten my brothers and sisters, my father, my husband, my neighbors, and my relatives, one by one. And whenever I went to a party, I did not leave anyone out without mentioning them with a fault, for ten years or more. I have repented with the deepest regret and grieved over my former heedlessness, and I have turned to Allah , and may Allah accept it from me. But I have learned that repentance from backbiting requires a condition, which is: that I seek the forgiveness of those I backbitten. How do I seek the forgiveness of my father, my mother, and my brothers from what may breed hatred? And how do I seek the forgiveness of those I do not know, which is difficult and arduous, and I may not find a way to identify them? Is there a way out? And how would it be? Do you advise me to seek forgiveness for this huge group of people? Or what should I do? Please inform me, may Allah reward you with good. And is it sufficient for me to say: “O Allah, forgive everyone I have backbitten,” after every prayer? And may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah. Repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah, and we ask Allah to accept it from you. You must ask Allah for their pardon and forgiveness, and you should mention them with the good you know about them; for those you know, mention them with the good you know of them instead of the evil you mentioned.
As for seeking their forgiveness, it is not obligatory due to the difficulty you mentioned. But if you know them and it is easy to seek their forgiveness, there is no harm in doing so. Say to him: “I did such and such, so forgive me and pardon me,” if it is easy and you do not fear harm. However, if you fear harm, such that seeking their forgiveness would lead to fitnah, enmity, or hostility, then repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah, and seeking their forgiveness is not obligatory.
As for those you do not know, repentance is sufficient, praise be to Allah, along with supplicating for their good and seeking forgiveness for them, praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.