Every human being has many faults, but he feels bad when other people discuss them.  Discussing any such real faults in the absence of someone is “backbiting”. For example: a man is crooked, sloppy, arrogant, stutters, luxurious, poorly educated, performs qaza in Jama’at, smokes, wife does not veil, deen by neglecting  such work.  Mentioning this fault of his in his absence is backbiting and grave sin.

 Backbiting is one of the reasons for destroying the virtue of a believer.  The Qur’an compares backbiting to ‘eating the flesh of a dead brother’.  Allah says:

 Because some ideas are sinful.  Do not pry into each other’s secrets and do not condemn each other in absence.  Will any of you eat the flesh of his dead brother?  You find it disgusting.  Fear Allah;  Allah is Oft-Repentant, Most Merciful. 

 Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi oyasallama said:

 “Warner! You must guard yourselves from conjecture; for conjecture is the greatest lie. And you shall not seek to know one another’s secrets, seek no secret faults, be jealous of one another, indulge in enmity with one another, and enmity with one another.  And do not sever ties. Become brothers to each other and servants of Allah.

 Thus we know that it is forbidden to speak conjecturally and find fault with others.  Not only that, apart from search any otherIt is blasphemy and haram to mention the fault in his absence if he knows it.

 Gossip is 100% true.  Slander refers to 100% true faults of a person in his absence. 

Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Do you know what backbiting is?’  What if there is truth in my brother? He says, If what you say is in him then you slander him. And if it is not in him then you slander him.

 We think, tell the truth, what is the problem?  Perhaps we do not understand or do not want to understand because of instinct, that not all truth is permissible.  Many truths are more forbidden than lies.  Again, I can say this in front of him.  What you can say in front is backbiting.

 The most difficult matter of backbiting is the sin related to the right of the slave to backbite.  If the person concerned does not forgive, we have to give him the merit due to this crime.  Many hadiths have been narrated condemning backbiting and describing its severest punishments.  It is not possible to discuss them in detail here.  Here we would like to draw the reader’s attention to a few points:

One of the causes of the downfall of righteous people is backbiting.  Most of the pious in society, Alim, Zakir, Abid, Da’wat of Islam All devout Muslims engaged in tabligh, movement etc. indulged in these grave and destructive sins.  Usually we enjoy gossiping about our colleagues, partners or religious people of another group or opinion.  Besides, we get satisfaction from the personal criticism and backbiting of the businessmen and leading people of the society.  Many times we justify the backbiting by saying – ‘I can say all these things in front of him’.  What can be said in front of the word will be slander?  Many times we make gossip Islamic or religious.  Do not say that the man does wrong, sin?  Here are a few things we need to keep in mind:

First point:

 It is the duty of a believer to try to correct a person’s wrongdoing.  But no one can ever be corrected by discussing or gossiping about his wrongdoing in front of other people in his absence.  Only to achieve sin and satisfy the needs of one’s own satanic instincts.

 Second point:

 To talk about someone’s faults in his absence

 There is only one legitimate reason, to protect him or someone else from further harm.  For example, asking his guardian or someone who is expected to correct him to correct him.  Or if there is a risk of loss of life and property if he does not know his fault, he can also be told that.  In this case too, the believer must understand that this is an abominable act.  He is doing it by being forced to fulfill his religious duty alone.  So don’t say anything more than necessary.

 Third Point:

Backbiting is prohibited by the Quran and Hadith.  Ghibat is not clearly stated as halal in any situation in the Holy Quran or Sahih Hadith.  Scholars have opined that it can be valid only if there is an absolute need to protect a person or group from certain harm.  Now the action of the believer is to shun what the Qur’an and Hadith have forbidden.  Even if that action is sometimes permissible, he will always try to avoid it.  Pig meat, wine, blood etc. are prohibited by Allah and declared permissible in need.  Now what is the duty of the believer?  To eat them showing the need for various excuses? try to avoid it as much as possible?

Backbiting is also a similar haram act which can be legal in extreme cases.  Two differences between backbiting and pork: (a) Permission to eat pork if necessary exists in the Qur’an, whereas there is no clear sanction for backbiting in the Qur’an or Sahih Hadith.  (b) Eating pork is only a sin due to the right of Allah.  It can easily be forgiven through repentance.  On the other hand, backbiting is a rightful sin.  Its forgiveness requires the forgiveness of the person concerned.  That is why it is the responsibility of the believer to avoid this sin as much as possible without indulging in it on various pretexts or citing the hadith of Yaif-Mawzu.

The fourth point:

In Islam, as it is forbidden to talk about the faults of others, it is also encouraged to hide them.  Messenger of Allah Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi oyasallama said: Abul Haysam Dukhain, the secretary of the governor of Egypt, Sahabi Uqba ibn Amir, said, “I told Uqba that some of our neighbors are drinking.”  I’m going to call the police right now to get them.  Uqba says, you will not do that.  rather youAdmonish them and warn them…. I heard the Messenger of Allah say,

 “He who conceals the fault of a believer is like raising a living daughter from the grave.”  The hadith is authentic.

 Fifth point:

The responsibility of the believer is to protect his heart as much as possible Remembrance of mistakes and sins, engage in repentance and du’a.  The thought of other’s mistakes, injustices, sins etc. makes the heart of the believer dirty and deprives him of innumerable blessings.  As a result of backbiting, pride is born in the mind of the believer, which is one of the causes of destruction in the Hereafter.

 Dear reader, the way to salvation is to avoid discussing or thinking about someone in their absence.  Always thinking about your faults.  Seeking your own salvation.  May Allah protect us.

 “A Muslim is a brother of a Muslim. One does not oppress one another and does not abandon one in danger. Whoever takes care of his brother’s needs, Allah will take care of his needs. Whoever removes a Muslim’s distress and danger, Allah will remove his danger on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever hides the fault of a Muslim.  Allah will hide his fault on the Day of Judgment.”