Sheikh Atabek Shukurov

Backbiting/Ghiba


“Do not backbite each other, would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?” (49:12)

“Woe betide every backbiter, derider.” (104:1)

Backbiting is defined as mentioning someone in a way that they would not like. You have to mention their name or the person who you are talking about has to know who you are talking about; if they do not know who you are talking about then it is not backbiting.
(Some of the scholars say if that person was behind you and heard what you had to say, would it hurt him? If it does then it is backbiting.)

We should stay away from backbiting because there is a hadith/prophetic narration when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he saw people cutting themselves with cooper nails during the heavenly ascent.

Other hadith/prophetic narration

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Do you know what backbiting is?”
They said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
He said: “It is to mention about your brother something that he would dislike having mentioned about him.”
Someone asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What do you say if what you said about him was true?”
He replied: “If what you said about him is true, then you have backbitten him. If what you said about him is false, then you have slandered him.” [Muslim (2589)]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever can guarantee to me what is between his two lips and what is between his two legs, I can guarantee for him Paradise.” [al-Bukhârî (6474)]

Backbiting is a major sin in Islam, Haram/prohibited – it is punished for and cause punishment in the grave.

Some scholars say backbiting is worse than illegal fornication/Zina because if someone commits Zina then it’s between them and Allah (mighty and majestic) but backbiting is between you and others

It is not permissible to listen to backbiting, the listener is like the speaker

What situations allow you to backbite?
1. When someone has harmed you and are complaining to someone about your problem but this is with the condition that you are talking to someone who can stop it. i.e. Authorities.
2. To someone who can order that person to stop, such as a scholar
3. To advise a student that to study with a scholar but this is only about what directly affects the student.
4. When you are asked about someone to warn them (to marry or do business with).
5. To call someone by a name that comes from a defect in him but he does not mind
6. About a bad person who sins openly

The Reasons for backbiting are many:
1. Pride
2. A group think they are better than another
3. To jest
4. Envy
5. Debase

Etc...

If you hear someone backbiting then you must:
1. stop them or leave them
2. reject it in your heart – if you remain sat there

Part of repentance from backbiting is to pray for that person (this will remove the sickness from the heart)