Asha88
Ghurabaa
Salaam!
I found this section of this book tittled Al-Hadith beneficial and thought I would share with everyone. InsyaAllah this will give us a clearer understanding as to what constitutes backbiting or not.
a) Backbiting is an evil of the tongue about which the Quran says: Nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat of the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it (49:12)
There are innumberable sayings of the Prophet prohibiting backbiting. In addition to the traditions in sections 16, the following few may be mentioned.
Every Muslim is unlawful to another Muslim-his blood, his property and his honour (3:74)
Backbiting takes away the honour of a Muslim and hence unlawful. Verily the most compound of usuary is the prolonging (of the tongue of evils) unjustly is respect of the honour of a Muslim (3:71)
The backbiter remains always in the wrath of Allah till the Resurrection Day (4:189)
In the night in which the Messenger of Allah was taken to heaven, he saw some men scratching themselves with their nails. Being questioned, Gabriel said that they were backbiters and takers of honour of men (hadis). It is reported that Moses said; Whoever dies repentant of backbiting will enter last in Paradise, and whoever dies free from it will be the first of those who will enter Paradise (Gazzali's Ihya). Once the Holy Prophet passed by a grave, he perceived that its inmate was being punished for backbiting.
b) What is backbiting?
The meaning has been explained by the Holy Prophet himself in 4:183. It is the speaking ill of a man in his absence whether it is true or false. There are several instances of evils spoken in presence of the Holy Prophet which were true but which were termed by him as backbiting (4:193). Backbiting relates to different things-body, pedigree character, deed, saying, religion and worldly affairds (including food, clothing, accommodation and properties). Backbiting relating to the body of a man takes place when one says about another 'squint-eyed, short, long, black, yellow etc' relating to character, such as Negro slave, Jew, Indian blacks, mean etc;
relating to character, such as a man of bad character, miser, proud, haughty, quarrelsome, coward, weakminded etc;
relating to religious affairs such as liar, drunkard, oppression, careless in prayer and fasting, usuary-taker etc;
relating to worldly affairds, such as a man of ill manners, ignorant of other rights, gluttonous, henpecked etc;
and relating to dress, such as a man of long coat, shirts etc.
c) Backbiting is not confined only to Tongue.
Backbiting may be committed by hints, signs, writing, motions and caricatures. In short, all the signs showing evils or contempts or lowering positions of others are unlawful, and their punishment is equal. Writers and authors showing contempt for other writers and authors and criticising them commit backbiting by pen which is considered as more powereful than tongue and mightier than the sword. Backbiting takes place with regard to general people. When a definite man is meant man is meant in heart, the expression should be-
What is the matter with a people who do such and such a thing (4:167)?
To confirm or corroborate a backbiting amounts to the same guilt, and he who keeps silence as the time of backbiting is guilty of the same sin (4:156).
The duty of a Muslim, when a man is backbited in his presence, is to return the backbitng, or speak well of the defamed person, or going away from the place of backbiting, or shutting up ears. Who likes to remain silent if he sees his brother eating the flesh of a dead man? Backbiting is nothing but eating the flesh of a dead corpse.
d) Backbiting by Heart
It is also unlawful as evil conjecture about others is unlawful. The Quran prohibits it in clear terms saying:
Muslims, therefore, have been advised for purging of their souls from evil thoughts which are not true, because out of evil thoughts about men come out evil treatment. O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicions, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin (49:12).
e) What is not backbiting.
The following does not amount to backbiting and is free from sin;
1) The oppressed man speaking of oppression before people or before judges (4:148);
2) One speaking ill of a judge or a king or a leader about his injustive, oppression and bribery;
3) One who helps others in removing detestable things (Makruh) of a person or people in order to bring him or them to right path and not for avenging personal grudge;
4) One who seeks legal decision or fatwa by saying: That man has done such and such thing. How can I get rid of him?
5) One who warns the Muslims from the innovations or evil practises of a man or people opposed to Shariat;
6) One who calls another with name signifying backbiting;
7) One who speaks ill of another who is well known for his drinking habits, debauchery and immoral life.
f) Causes of backbiting and medicine for its cure.
There are various causes which lead one to take up the arm of backbiting. The following are few:
1) anger and malice against a particular man
2) attachment to a man or a body who speaks ill of another
3) quarrel and disputes
4) play, frivolous talks, jokes and laughter
5) sorcery and mockery
6) to think every thing of oneself as better than that of others
7) and to speak ill of a man before a kind friend
These are in brief the causes of the disease of backbiting. The medicine therefore is bitter like quinine. It is the doing of good to others, speaking good of others and thinking good of others, because good destroys evil.
g) Expiation of the sin of backbiting
This sin is great and Allah does not pardon it till the backbited person pardons him. It is the right of the backbited person to take back his right which he suffered at the hand of the backbiter. Allah does not interfere in it (4:159) as it converns with haqqul Ibad (rights of men). If a man dies without taking pardon from the backbited person, the sings of the latter will devolve upon the backbiting man on the Resurrection Day (4:154). The effect of backbiting is that the backbiter will be backbited by people in a similar way and his honour will be at stake before the public.
I found this section of this book tittled Al-Hadith beneficial and thought I would share with everyone. InsyaAllah this will give us a clearer understanding as to what constitutes backbiting or not.
a) Backbiting is an evil of the tongue about which the Quran says: Nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat of the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it (49:12)
There are innumberable sayings of the Prophet prohibiting backbiting. In addition to the traditions in sections 16, the following few may be mentioned.
Every Muslim is unlawful to another Muslim-his blood, his property and his honour (3:74)
Backbiting takes away the honour of a Muslim and hence unlawful. Verily the most compound of usuary is the prolonging (of the tongue of evils) unjustly is respect of the honour of a Muslim (3:71)
The backbiter remains always in the wrath of Allah till the Resurrection Day (4:189)
In the night in which the Messenger of Allah was taken to heaven, he saw some men scratching themselves with their nails. Being questioned, Gabriel said that they were backbiters and takers of honour of men (hadis). It is reported that Moses said; Whoever dies repentant of backbiting will enter last in Paradise, and whoever dies free from it will be the first of those who will enter Paradise (Gazzali's Ihya). Once the Holy Prophet passed by a grave, he perceived that its inmate was being punished for backbiting.
b) What is backbiting?
The meaning has been explained by the Holy Prophet himself in 4:183. It is the speaking ill of a man in his absence whether it is true or false. There are several instances of evils spoken in presence of the Holy Prophet which were true but which were termed by him as backbiting (4:193). Backbiting relates to different things-body, pedigree character, deed, saying, religion and worldly affairds (including food, clothing, accommodation and properties). Backbiting relating to the body of a man takes place when one says about another 'squint-eyed, short, long, black, yellow etc' relating to character, such as Negro slave, Jew, Indian blacks, mean etc;
relating to character, such as a man of bad character, miser, proud, haughty, quarrelsome, coward, weakminded etc;
relating to religious affairs such as liar, drunkard, oppression, careless in prayer and fasting, usuary-taker etc;
relating to worldly affairds, such as a man of ill manners, ignorant of other rights, gluttonous, henpecked etc;
and relating to dress, such as a man of long coat, shirts etc.
c) Backbiting is not confined only to Tongue.
Backbiting may be committed by hints, signs, writing, motions and caricatures. In short, all the signs showing evils or contempts or lowering positions of others are unlawful, and their punishment is equal. Writers and authors showing contempt for other writers and authors and criticising them commit backbiting by pen which is considered as more powereful than tongue and mightier than the sword. Backbiting takes place with regard to general people. When a definite man is meant man is meant in heart, the expression should be-
What is the matter with a people who do such and such a thing (4:167)?
To confirm or corroborate a backbiting amounts to the same guilt, and he who keeps silence as the time of backbiting is guilty of the same sin (4:156).
The duty of a Muslim, when a man is backbited in his presence, is to return the backbitng, or speak well of the defamed person, or going away from the place of backbiting, or shutting up ears. Who likes to remain silent if he sees his brother eating the flesh of a dead man? Backbiting is nothing but eating the flesh of a dead corpse.
d) Backbiting by Heart
It is also unlawful as evil conjecture about others is unlawful. The Quran prohibits it in clear terms saying:
Muslims, therefore, have been advised for purging of their souls from evil thoughts which are not true, because out of evil thoughts about men come out evil treatment. O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicions, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin (49:12).
e) What is not backbiting.
The following does not amount to backbiting and is free from sin;
1) The oppressed man speaking of oppression before people or before judges (4:148);
2) One speaking ill of a judge or a king or a leader about his injustive, oppression and bribery;
3) One who helps others in removing detestable things (Makruh) of a person or people in order to bring him or them to right path and not for avenging personal grudge;
4) One who seeks legal decision or fatwa by saying: That man has done such and such thing. How can I get rid of him?
5) One who warns the Muslims from the innovations or evil practises of a man or people opposed to Shariat;
6) One who calls another with name signifying backbiting;
7) One who speaks ill of another who is well known for his drinking habits, debauchery and immoral life.
f) Causes of backbiting and medicine for its cure.
There are various causes which lead one to take up the arm of backbiting. The following are few:
1) anger and malice against a particular man
2) attachment to a man or a body who speaks ill of another
3) quarrel and disputes
4) play, frivolous talks, jokes and laughter
5) sorcery and mockery
6) to think every thing of oneself as better than that of others
7) and to speak ill of a man before a kind friend
These are in brief the causes of the disease of backbiting. The medicine therefore is bitter like quinine. It is the doing of good to others, speaking good of others and thinking good of others, because good destroys evil.
g) Expiation of the sin of backbiting
This sin is great and Allah does not pardon it till the backbited person pardons him. It is the right of the backbited person to take back his right which he suffered at the hand of the backbiter. Allah does not interfere in it (4:159) as it converns with haqqul Ibad (rights of men). If a man dies without taking pardon from the backbited person, the sings of the latter will devolve upon the backbiting man on the Resurrection Day (4:154). The effect of backbiting is that the backbiter will be backbited by people in a similar way and his honour will be at stake before the public.