الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي أحبَّ لنفسه الإحسان والجود ، وجعله لعباده من الخُلُق المحمود، نحمده تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهد الله فهو المهتد ومن يضلل فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحق، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم. ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما. اتقوا الله فيما أمر وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر
قال الله تعالى في كتابه الكريم: وَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِهِمۡۚ لَوۡ أَنفَقۡتَ مَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا مَّآ أَلَّفۡتَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ
“And He brought their hearts together. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (Al-Anfal: 63)
This verse highlights the remarkable transformation of deep-seated enmity into profound brotherhood among the early Muslims, particularly the أوس Aws and Khazraj tribes, following their acceptance of Islam. Despite historical animosities, they became tightly knit through a divine intervention that defied mortal expectations. The shift from almost bloodthirsty conflict to unified solidarity within a mere few years, as witnessed during the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ lifetime, underscores the transcendent power of Allah’s great guidance. The foundation is Islam, its pillar is salah, and its peak is jihad but that which holds it all together is
كف عليك هذا
Restraint of the tongue! As stated by the Prophet in an authentic hadith reported by Tirmidhi) The very glue that holds the entirety of our Deen together rests upon the way we speak to and about each other. And one particularly ubiquitous iniquity which leads to enmity and hatred is known as Gheebah. An adequate translation would be backbiting. Allah, commands:
وَلَا يَغۡتَب بَّعۡضُكُم بَعۡضًاۚ
“Do not backbite one another.” The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, asked his companions, “Do you know what backbiting is?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ
“To mention your brother in a way he dislikes.” It was asked, “What if my brother is as I say?” Then the Prophet ﷺ responded,
إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ اغْتَبْتَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ
“If what you say about him is true, it is indeed backbiting. If it is untrue, it is slander.” (Muslim). The purpose of this prohibition is to prevent causing harm by revealing the faults of others, as this can foster enmity and hatred among people. This applies to all forms of communication and includes anything the person dislikes, whether it pertains to their religion, worldly matters, physical appearance, character, wealth, children, spouse, or clothing. It could be as unassuming as saying “he sleeps too much.” Abu Huraira reported one such incident when a man stood up from the Prophet’s presence, and they noticed his weakness and said: “O Messenger of Allah, how weak so-and-so is!” The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
أكلتم أخاكم و اغتبتموه
“You have eaten the flesh of your brother and backbitten him.” Allah asks a rhetorical question in Suratul Hujurat:
أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَن يَأۡكُلَ لَحۡمَ أَخِيهِ مَيۡتٗا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوهُۚ
“Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? and then answers it by emphatically stating: You would detest it!” (Al-Hujurat:12). This is the example given by Allah to deter people from backbiting and distance them from it. It is a powerful metaphor that effectively conveys the intended meaning, illustrating the repulsiveness of backbiting both in its action and its impact on the victim. It portrays backbiting in the most disgusting manner, one that reason, and natural disposition abhor. The act is attributed to “any of you” to indicate that it is contrary to anyone’s nature to consume human flesh, let alone to enjoy it. The repulsiveness is heightened when the metaphorical flesh belongs to one’s brother, making it even more detestable. And it becomes utterly heinous when the brother is deceased. This emphasises the clear and vivid depiction by Allah that engaging in backbiting is akin to eating the flesh of one’s brother’s corpse, who is absent.
Is backbiting haram?
The majority of scholars consider backbiting a major sin, although Al-Ghazali viewed it as a minor sin, which is surprising coming from such a notable ethicist like Al-Ghazali. He might have intended to alleviate the burden on people since he observed its prevalence among them, with hardly anyone abstaining from it except for a few. Backbiting is prohibited due to the harm it causes, which can vary in severity. For example, criticizing someone’s clothing is less harmful than attacking their honour. Regardless, backbiting (Gheebah) is ultimately haram.
What is the punishment?
During the Mi’raj the Prophet saw a group of people who were scratching their chests and faces with their copper nails. He ﷺ asked:
من هؤلاء يا جبريل؟ قال: هؤلاء الذين يأكلون لحوم الناس، ويقعون في أعراضهم!
‘Who are these people, O Jibril?’ Jibril replied: ‘These are the people who ate flesh of others (by backbiting) and trampled people’s honour.” In another hadith the Prophet was walking with Abu bakr when they passed by two graves. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَيُعَذَّبُ فِي الْبَوْلِ وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَيُعَذَّبُ فِي الْغَيْبَةِ
‘They are being punished, and they are not being punished for something major,’ and he wept. Then he said, ‘They are being punished for backbiting and urinating without caution.’ The intended meaning is that it was not difficult for them to avoid the cause of this punishment. One of them did not clean himself properly from urine, which is simple to do, and the other did not abstain from backbiting, which is also not difficult to avoid.
As for the khawaas, those special few who hold themselves to higher standards – Gheebah is not restricted to the tongue but can also be of the heart and the inner speech. Which was illustrated by Al-Junaid who was once sitting in the Shuniziya Mosque waiting for a funeral to pray upon, and the people of Baghdad of various classes were sitting waiting for the funeral. He saw a poor man with the signs of piety asking people for charity. He thought to himself, ‘If this man worked to support himself, it would be better for him.’ When he returned home, he had a nightly routine of obedience, but that night all his devotions felt heavy. He stayed awake but finally his eyes overtook him in sleep. He saw that poor man brought on a tray and was told, ‘Eat his flesh; you have backbitten him!’ The reality was revealed to him, and he said, ‘I did not backbite him! I only thought something to myself.’ It was said to him, ‘You are not one who would accept even this for yourself. Go and seek his forgiveness.’ So he woke up and continued to seek the man out until he saw him gathering leaves of vegetables that had fallen into the water while washing them. He greeted the man, and the man said, ‘O Abu al-Qasim, are you going to do it again?’ Al-Junaid replied, ‘No.’ Then the man said, ‘May Allah forgive us both.’
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته: الثَّلَاثَةُ دَبَّتْ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ: الظَّنُّ، وَالطِّيَرَةُ، وَالْحَسَدُ”. قِيلَ: “فَمَا النَّجَاةُ؟” قَالَ: “إِذَا ظَنَنْتَ فَلَا تُحَقِّقْ، وَإِذَا تَطَيَّرْتَ فَامْضِ، وَإِذَا حَسَدْتَ فَلَا تَبْغِ
“Three traits lead to the destruction of this Ummah: suspicion, superstition, and envy.” When asked how one can be saved, the reply was: “Do not entertain suspicion, do not indulge in superstition, and do not envy.” The verse warning against backbiting includes three sequential prohibitions: starting with suspicion, then spying for affirmation, and ultimately using what you’ve learnt for backbiting. This highlights the severity of backbiting and its strict prohibition in Islam. Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have warned us against this destructive behaviour, likening it to consuming the flesh of our deceased brother. Yet, there does exist exceptions that permit the mention of faults under very specific circumstances:
- Complaint of Oppression: It is permissible for the oppressed to complain to someone they believe can help remove the injustice they are suffering.
- Seeking Assistance to Change Evil:
- Requesting a Fatwa: For instance, one might say to a mufti, “So-and-so has wronged me in such and such a way; what is the legal way to reclaim my right?”
- Public Sinners: such as those who openly drink alcohol.
- Warning Muslims of Danger: Any situation where warning Muslims about potential harm necessitates mentioning someone’s faults.
However, if we find ourselves unavoidably exposed to backbiting then listen attentively to what is said by Sheikh Abu Al-Mawahib Al-Tunisi Al-Shadhli
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال له: فإن كان ولا بد من سماعك غيبة الناس – أي : وقع منك – فاقرأ سورة الإخلاص والمعوذتين، واهدِ ثوابها للمغتاب؛ فإن الله يرضيه عنك بذلك
that the Prophet, ﷺ said to him: “If you are unavoidably exposed to people’s backbiting – that is, it occurs in your presence – then recite Surah Al-Ikhlas and Al-Mu’awwadhatain, and dedicate the reward to the backbiter; indeed, Allah will be pleased with you for that.” But, if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being the perpetrator of this detestable act then have Taqwa of Allah وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ by refraining from what you have been commanded to avoid, and regret what has already proceeded from you. Fear Allah as you should and sincerely turn towards Him seeking to change, for:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Indeed, Allah is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Turner of Hearts, the Merciful. There is a difference of opinion whether one should apologise to those who he has backbitten. Some scholars stated that it is not necessary for one to ask those whom he has backbitten to forgive him, because if they knew what was said about them, they could be hurt more than if they were not told about it. It is better, they said, that one should praise those whom he has backbitten in audiences in which he has committed the act. It is also better if one defends the injured party against any further backbiting, as much as one can.
من رد عن عِرض أخيه، رد الله عن وجهه النار يوم القيام
He who defends the honour of his (Muslim) brother, Allah will secure his face against the Fire on the Day of Standing.”
O Allah, we ask You to purify our tongues from backbiting and slander and grant us the ability to speak words of goodness and perform righteous deeds. O Allah, unite our hearts and strengthen our ranks, and make us, among Your fortunate servants who will be shaded by Your Throne on the Day when there will be no shade but Yours.
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شُيُوخِنَا، وَعَلَى رئيسنا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ، اللهم ألف بين قلوبنا، ووحد صفوفنا، واجعلنا يا رب العالمين من عبادك الصالحين.
رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقَِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ.
