Backbiting is one of the issues that Islam firmly warns against, as evidenced by various Hadiths that clarify the severity of backbiting and its effect on both individuals and society.
In this context, there’s a hadith about backbiting defined it as eating the flesh of others, reflecting the ugliness of this sin in Islam.
This article reviews particular Hadiths that concern backbiting as a way to understand its legal ruling and how to avoid it in our daily lives, to achieve success in this life and thereafter. Explore further.
What is considered backbiting in Islam?
In Islam, backbiting is considered a grave sin as it hurts the one who is talking behind his back, either by words or gestures.
Because of the enormity of this sin, Allah has prepared a severe punishment for those who do it.
It is narrated that as the Prophet (PBUH) ascended during the night of Isra and Mi’raj, he witnessed people clawing their faces and chests with copper claws. He inquired about them, and Angel Gabriel said, “These are the ones who used to eat the flesh of people and slander their honor.”
Accordingly, The Prophet clarified this to his friends a hadith about backbiting, saying that if someone talks about his brother in a way he dislikes, he has backbited him. If he says something false about him, it is considered slander or a great lie, and the punishment is more severe than backbiting.
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Examples of backbiting in Islam
There are some examples of backbiting in Islam such as:
- Personal defects are demonstrated through comments on someone’s appearance, morals, or behavior.
- Belittling him, for example from his lineage or his work.
- Tell rumors about him and say things that aren’t true to hurt him and his reputation.
Accordingly, the verses of the IfK Incident in Surah An-Nur (12-15) remind us that Ms. Aisha was wrongly accused of adultery, which is termed in the Quran as “clear slander,” or a grave falsehood. God reprimanded believers for spreading rumors and threatened those who spread slander with severe retribution, emphasizing the gravity of the sin of backbiting.
- Revealing his secrets with others as often occurs on social media platforms is considered a form of backbiting.
- Mocking him, even if it’s only joking and laughing.
Here, a hadith about backbiting illustrates how the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) teaches us to avoid mocking others, when a woman visited Ms. Aisha, and after she had gone, Ms. Aisha indicated to the Prophet that she was short. The Prophet reprimanded her and said, “You have backbitten.”
What does the Quran say about backbiting verses?
Before discussing the hadith about backbiting, it is worth mentioning that the Quran contains many verses about it which include:
- Surah Al-Humazah, in the first verse of chapter 30, warns that anybody who backbites and slanders others would face severe punishment in Hell, a valley known as “Wail,” from which the pus of everyone who lives off the Fire will flow.
- “ويل لكل همزة لمزة”
- According to Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 11, Allah warns believers not to mock or denounce one another with words or acts, as both are forbidden. No one should call his brother a name he dislikes, and anyone who does so has wronged himself.
“ يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يسخر قوم من قوم عسى أن يكونوا خيراً منهم ولا نساء من نساء عسى أن يكن خيراً منهن ولا تلمزوا أنفسكم ولا تنابزوا بالألقاب بئس الإسم الفسوق بعد الإيمان ومن لم يتب فأولئك هم الظالمون”
- Also, Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 12, a Muslim should avoid thinking negatively about his brother, avoid looking for faults in others, and stop backbiting. Doing so is similar to eating the flesh of his brother who died, reflecting the severity and ugliness of this sin in Islam.
“ ياأيها الذين أمنوا اجتنبوا كثيرًا من الظن إن بعض الظن إثم ولا تجسسوا ولا يغتب بعضكم بعضًا أيحب أحدكم أن يأكل لحم أخيه ميتًا فكرهتموه واتقوا الله إن الله تواب رحيم”
Hadith About Backbiting
According to the teachings of Islam, a Muslim is a brother to another, he doesn’t cheat him, not lie to him, or deceive him, in addition, he keeps his tongue and doesn’t backbite his brother.
In insight these teachings, The Prophet recited a lot of hadiths that illustrate the rights of Muslims over others including hadith about backbiting as follows:
- A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe, and an Emigrant is the one who refrains from what Allah has forbidden”.
“المسلم من سلم المسلمون من لسانه ويده، والمهاجر من هجر ما نهى الله عنه”.
- He explained that the real “bankrupt” on the Day of Judgment is not someone who lacks money, but someone who achieved his religious duties but hurt others. The wronged people will take the wrongdoer’s good deeds, and if those run out, the wrongdoer’s sins will be given to him, leading to punishment in the fire.
قال النبى (ص):”أتدرون من المفلس؟” قالوا: المفلس فينا من لا درهم عنده ولا متاع، قال”إن المفلس من أمتي من يأتي يوم القيامة بصلاة وصيام وزكاة، ويأتي وقد شتم هذا، وقذف هذا، وأكل مال هذا، وسفك دم هذا، وضرب هذا، فيعطى هذا من حسناته، وهذا من حسناته، فإن فنيت حسناته قبل أن يقضى ما عليه، أخذ من خطاياهم فطُرِحَتْ عليه، ثم طرح في النار”.
- The Prophet (PBUH) highlighted a Muslim’s rights toward another, even after death. He said, “When your companion dies, leave him alone and do not malign him.”That means do not speak badly of him or say anything inappropriate about him.
قال(ص):” إذا مات صاحبكم فدعوه ولاتؤذوه”.
- In another hadith about backbiting and the severity of its punishment, the Prophet came upon a grave where a person was being tormented. He said, “Verily, this person used to eat the flesh of people” indicating that he used to backbite people throughout his life.
مر النبي(ص) على قبر يعذب صاحبه فقال ” إن هذا كان يأكل لحوم الناس”.
- The Prophet was quick to warn people about the dangers of the tongue’s vices, such as backbiting, cursing, and insulting, highlighting that the tongue is the main cause that people enter Hell because of the consequences of their words. This was underscored when the noble companion Mu’adh ibn Jabal inquired, “Are we accountable for what we say?”.
قال معاذ بن جبل( رضي الله عنه): “يا نبي الله، إنا لمؤاخذون بما نتكلم به؟ قال: ثكلتك أمك يا معاذ، وهل يكب الناس في النار على وجوههم إلا حصائد ألسنتهم”.
When is backbiting allowed in Islam?
Scholars occasionally approve of a particular kind of backbiting that can be divided into the following six categories
Complaint
This occurs by making a complaint to those in charge to provide the oppressed with justice and their rights back.
Accusation of misbehavior
This entails forbidding evil as well as encouraging virtue to guide the wrongdoer correctly.
Seeking a Fatwa
One has the right to seek a fatwa from trustworthy persons under conditions of injustice by a family member, such as a father, brother, or partner to address and solve this issue.
Warning
Warning others about people who make false appearances, offer unacceptable goods, or participate in unethical behaviors, especially if someone close to you is considering marrying him or her.
Bringing misbehavior to light
When someone publicly surpasses a sin, such as stealing the rights of others, it is allowed to call out their behavior.
Using monikers
It is acceptable to use a person’s nickname, such as “the blind” or “the lame,” as long as it is not insulting or mocking.
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Does backbiting break wudu Islamqa?
Backbiting is regarded as offensive speech, but as it is not one of the nullifiers, it does not negate wudu.
It is generally accepted among scholars that wudu is not required following occurrences of bad speech, such as lying, backbiting, or giving false testimony.
They mentioned the Prophet’s hadith that if someone swears by something other than Allah, they have to say, “There is no god but Allah.”
However, Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah held a different view; he thought that after sinning, it was preferable to do wudu, which is one of expiate sins according to the hadith of the prophet(PBUH).
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Read more: Understanding the Wudu Steps in Order
Punishment for backbiting in Islam
Since Allah clarified to humanity in Surah Al-Isra, verse 36, that every word they hear or action they witness will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment, listening to backbiting is considered an offense. subjecting the listener to the same punishment as the one saying it.
Allah has prepared harsh punishment for such people on the Day of Judgment, including the annulment of their actions and the loss of their good deeds.
In this regard, the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) sayings in a hadith about backbiting include the following warnings:
- According to the Prophet’s hadith and warning, if someone slandered another person and attributes to him something he did not do, Allah will punish him on the Day of Judgment with the filth and pus of the inhabitants of Hell until he repents.
“من قال في مؤمن ما ليس فيه أسكنه الله ردغة الخبال حتى يخرج مما قال” ومعنى ردغة الخبال: هي عصارة أهل النَّار.
- In the explanation of this hadith anyone who mocks or speaks negatively about a Muslim will stand on the bridge of Hell to receive his due from Allah. Either Allah will take away his good deeds or the person who was offended will forgive him.
” من رمى مؤمنا بشيء يريد به شينه، حبسه الله تعالى على جسر جهنم حتى يخرج مما قال”.
- Whoever deserts his Muslim brother and fails to protect him when he is oppressed or threatened by an enemy will be abandoned by Allah when he needs Allah’s help and victory.
ما من امرئ يخذل امرءا مسلماً في موضع تنتهك فيه حرمته وينتقص فيه من عرضه إلا خذله الله في موطن يحب فيه نصرته.
What did Prophet Muhammad say about gossip?
Similar to how backbiting is viewed as a serious sin in Islam, gossiping is considered as such since it means releasing information that should be kept private to cause trouble and hatred among people.
Allah cautions us in Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 6, to confirm the reality of information provided by wrongdoers to prevent unfairly hurting other people. As the Prophet, peace be upon him mentioned a hadith about backbiting, he warned us of gossiping as follows:
- The Prophet underlined the necessity of a Muslim guarding the tongue and keeping from idle conversation and gossip. He highlighted that a slanderer is not allowed to enter Paradise.
“لا يدخل الجنة قتات” وفي بعض الروايات نمام”.
- Gossip is one of the reasons for punishment in the grave. The Prophet Muhammad passed by a grave where the dead person was being punished for spreading gossip among others.
وأن النبي مر على قبرين، فقال: “إنهما ليعذبان، وما يعذبان في كبير؛ أما أحدهما فكان يمشي بين الناس بالنميمة، وأما الثاني فكان لا يستبرئ من بوله”.
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Does backbiting break ihram?
According to a hadith about backbiting, the prophet compared it to eating people’s flesh.
Furthermore, backbiting ruins the reward and blessings of Hajj and Umrah, as Allah explains in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 197, where someone planning to perform Hajj should avoid impure speech
Also, the Prophet said that a pilgrim who avoids using negative words, such as backbiting and gossip, will be pardoned for their sins and will return as if they were born anew.
قال(ص) “من حج فلم يرفث ولم يفسق رجع من ذنوبه كيوم ولدته أمه”.
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Tip To Avoid Backbiting
There are some ways to avoid falling into backbiting including:
- Fear Allah in both secret and public.
- Control your tongue and use it to dhikr and recite the Quran.
- Remember death, and that you will be held accountable for all you say and do.
- Avoid backbiting gatherings and concentrate on your faults rather than those of others.
- Remember that backbiting about others will result in harsh punishment in the Hereafter, with their faces and bodies torn apart by copper claws.
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Will Allah forgive you for backbiting?
Acceptance of repentance from backbiting is conditional on the following:
- Feeling remorse for the sin and turning to Allah with a sincere heart.
- Seeking forgiveness from Allah, increasing worship, and doing more good deeds.
- Abstaining from the sin and deciding not to return to it.
- Seeking forgiveness from that person who was backbitten. Some scholars think it is essential to ask for their forgiveness, while others prefer to pray for and praise them.
These ways help to cleanse the soul and assure genuine repentance.
Read about: How to get forgiveness from Allah
Summary
Backbiting is a grave sin in Islam, The Prophet (PBUH) narrated a hadith about backbiting that people would eat the flesh of others and slander their honor.
He also warned against gossiping, stating that a slanderer is not allowed to enter Paradise.
The Quran warns against mocking or denouncing one another with words or acts, as both are forbidden, and also many verses about backbiting, such as the IfK Incident in Surah An-Nur.
Backbiting allowed in Islam can be categorized into six categories complaint, accusation of misbehavior.
if someone slandered another person and attributes something to them, Allah will punish them with the filth and pus of Hell until they repent.
Backbiting can ruin the reward and blessings of Hajj and Umrah.
To avoid backbiting, fear Allah, control your tongue, remember death, and focus on your faults.
Acceptance of repentance from backbiting depends on feeling remorse and seeking forgiveness from Allah.
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FAQ.
Is gossip haram in Islam?
Yes, it is a great sin in Islam, because it can cause trouble and hatred among people.
Does Allah forgive backbiting?
Yes, if the wronger feels remorse for the sin and seeks forgiveness from Allah.
How do we ignore backbiters?
You must first advise them to stop this sin and ignore them if they persist.