Islam teaches us and emphasized on to give respect to other Muslim’s honour. Backbiting is a serious sin in Islam. A sin that, unfortunately, many Muslims have come to normalize in their day to day interactions. Backbiting is easy to commit. A perfectly acceptable conversation can take a nasty turn in an instant. You can find yourself backbiting without even realising how it happened. Allah says:
وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا
“And say to My slaves (to) say that which (is) best. Indeed, the Shaitaan sows discord between them. Indeed, the Shaitaan is to the man an enemy clear.” (Surah Al-Isra 17:53)
Backbiting is so widespread that they have become the topic of people’s meetings and an avenue for expressing their anger, misgivings, and jealousy. Backbiting is, however, one of the meanest manners and most serious crimes and sins. Backbiting is the foremost sin mentioned in Holy Quran and Hadith. Allah says:
يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“They say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have faith. Our Lord, you are kind and merciful.” (Surah Al-Hashr 59:10)
Islam is a religion of peace, love, and compassion. They are considered amongst the most destructive of major sins. Backbiting is to speak ill of a believer behind his back, including matters concerning his moralities, appearance. Islam demands that our relationship with mankind be one of sincerity and responsibility. Allah says:
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُم مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّتَكَلَّمَ بِهَٰذَا سُبْحَانَكَ هَٰذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ
.“And why, when you heard it, did you not say: ‘It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, O Allah]; this is a great slander?” (Surah An-Nur 24:16)
Backbiting is a toxic phenomenon, which only festers negativity, jealousy, and envy in the hearts of men. Backbiting is so widespread among people that it has become an issue of people’s meetings and an avenue for expressing their anger, misgivings, and jealousy. Allah sees and knows all things, while our understanding.
Here are some ways to help us keep away from backbiting and all that it entails:
- Backbiting the spreading of a rumour that never trivial
- Backbiting festers negativity, jealousy, and envy
- Backbiting pushes away from blessings as well
- Backbiting pushes away from Allah’s mercy
- Backbiting brings sadness and darkness
- Backbiting brings nothing but ugliness
- Backbiting never provide the solution
- Backbiting is a toxic phenomenon
- Backbiting tarnishes your honesty
- Backbiting destroys reputations
- Backbiting may humiliate the person
- Backbiting can cause very bad effects
- Backbiting represents a wrong person
- Backbiting worst effects on hurting others
- Backbiting involve you in a dull gloomy feeling
- Backbiting leads to many of the hurtful effects
- Backbiting tend to unverified pieces of information
- Backbiting is from the vilest and most despicable of things
- Backbiting reflects badly on you, even if you don’t realize it
- Backbiting ruin reputations and even lead to ostracizing behaviour
Islam teaches us that we are not only held accountable for our attitudes and actions, but also for anything over which we have control or influence in our society or the world around us. Many of us backbite and gossip without thinking. Backbiting is basically to talk about your Muslim fellow in such a manner that he/she would dislike it if told about it. Allah says:
وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا
“And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed, Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.” (Surah Al-Isra 17:53)
Backbiting is a destructive element that devastates the social construction, the Islamic code has forbidden and regarded it as a grand sin. The evils of backbiting in Islam are deep and far-reaching as they cause nothing but destroys ties of kinship and turn people against one another. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not either backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah, verily, Allah is The One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:12)
Speak well or keep quiet. A Muslim has no right to speak badly behind the back of another Muslim whether it is justified or not. Backbiting is basically to talk about your Muslim fellow in such a manner that he/she would dislike it if told about it. Allah sees and knows all things, while our understanding.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “If they hear gossip, they walk away.” (Quran 28:55)
- “And say: ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” ( Ta-ha:114)
- “A slanderer, going about with calumnies.” (Surah Al-Qalam, 11)
- “When they hear pointless talk, they turn away from it.” (Quran 28:55)
- “Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and-backbiter.” (Surah Al-Humaza, 1)
- “Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.” (Quran, 24:19)
- “Successful are the believers… …who turn away from the pointless talk.” (Quran 23:1-3)
- And “Those who do not bear witness to what is false, but when they pass by pointless talk, pass by with dignity.” (Quran 25:72)
Tips to help you quit Backbiting:
Most of the time, we get dragged into gossip, or conversations that lead to gossip. It’s important to know how to get ourselves out of this situation, or what to do in such situations.
- Backbiting is from Shaytaan (Satan): Shaytaan wants us as Muslims to be at odds. He plans to divide and conquer. Allah has warned us about this in the Quran.
- Avoid People Who Backbite: “Bad company corrupts good character” It is so important to befriend people who have similar morals and values as yourself.
- Change the Bad to Good: Instead of talking badly about someone, try to say something positive about the individual.
- Avoid Places of Backbiting: At university, work, and even online, certain meeting places are used for backbiting. If you tend to get involved in backbiting in these locations, stop being there.
- Stop Asking Leading Questions: Avoid the use of questions that can lead to backbiting.
- It’s None Of Your Business: Oftentimes we get involved in conversations that are of no concern to us, we’re merely involved to kill time.
- Change The Topic: Sometimes the best thing to do is find something else to talk about.
- Stay Silent: Sometimes the best thing to do when you’re unsure of whether you’re backbiting or not is to remain silent.
- Focus on your shortcomings: We are all human and we make mistakes. Hence we should help each other become better and never judge each other or point out each other’s faults.
Backbiting is a destructive element that devastates the social construction, the Islamic code has forbidden and regarded it as a grand sin. The evils of backbiting in Islam are deep and far-reaching as they cause nothing but destroys ties of kinship and turn people against one another. Allah says:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
“Do not concern yourself with things about which you do not know. Verily, your hearing, sight, and heart all of them will be called to account.” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:36)
Backbiting is a graver sin than one can imagine. One of the major sins is a Muslim utters a word how he describes his Muslim brother in a negative way it could be explicitly or implicitly. It should be one where we have respect for the honour, reputation, and privacy of others. Allah says:
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا
“Certainly, it is for you in (the) Messenger (of) Allah an excellent example for (one) who has hope (in) Allah and the Day the Last, and remembers Allah much.” (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21)
Islam teaches us and emphasized on to give respect to other Muslim’s honour. If you hear a rumour about someone’s misfortune, strive for compassion rather than continuing the gossip. May Allah (SWT) guide us all towards the right path and protect us from the trials and punishments in this life and the next. Amen
