'...Allah will defend him in this world and
in the next....'
And why did you not, when you heard it,
say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to God, this is
a most serious slander" (Quran 24:16)
A commentary on one of the most destructive of major
sins
Islam
is a religion of peace, love and compassion. Lies, suspicion, back biting,
slander and gossip are totally alien to Islam. In fact they are considered
amongst the most destructive of major sins. This is so because these sins sow
enmity and discord among the Muslim Ummah and lead to its destruction. They
cause hostilities between people of the same household, and between neighbors,
friends and relatives.
Islam
demands that our relationship with mankind should be one of sincerity and
responsibility. It should be one where we have respect for the honor,
reputation and privacy of others. Islam teaches us that we are not only held
accountable for our own attitudes and actions but also for anything else over
which we have control or influence over, in our society or the world around us.
Verses:
Let's see what the Quran states about backbiting and slander - 'This is the Book, in it is guidance sure, without
doubt, to those who fear Allah'. (2:2)
Allah has forbidden the believers from backbiting
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion,
in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither 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. (49: 12)
When
we reflect deeply over this assimilation it should be enough to keep us away
from backbiting!
Do
not treat the issue of Backbiting & Slander with indifference because it is
a great sin
Behold, you received it on your tongues,
and said out of your mouths things which you had no knowledge; and you thought
it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of Allah (24:
15)
Many
of us back bite and gossip without thinking. We think it is minor matter,
however Allah reminds us to be careful and even though we think we are doing
something little it is in fact very big in the sight of Allah!
Allah
teaches us to speak out against Slander and try to put a stop to it
And why did you not, when you heard it,
say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to Allah, this is a
most serious slander" (24:16)
Many people are so busy spreading the
slander they hear that they do not even stop to think if it is true or not.
Shaitan
(Satan) wants us to use our tongue to create conflict and hatred
Say to My servants that they should only
say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for
Satan is to man an avowed enemy. (17:53)
Are
we falling into Shaitan's (Satan's) trap? We can all analyze ourselves.
Hadiths:
Let's see what Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said about Backbiting in
the hadiths. Allah states in the Quran - You
have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern of conduct. (33:21)
The definition of Backbiting & Slander
Prophet
Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said :"Do you know
what backbiting is?" They said, "Allah and His Messenger know
best." He then said, "It is to say something about your brother that
he would dislike." Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is
true?" The Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "If what you
say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you
have slandered him." (Muslim)
We
should guard our tongue from sins and use our limbs in acts of obedience
Prophet
Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said : "Who protects
his tongue from unlawful utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual
intercourse, I shall guarantee him entrance into Paradise."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
The definition of the best muslim
"I
asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him): Who is the best Muslim? The
Messenger of Allah(Peace Be Upon Him) replied, "He
is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and
hands." (Muslim)
Deriding
people in their presence by making negative facial expressions or by hand
gestures while they are unaware is also a form of backbiting.
We
need to beware of the slipping of our tongues
"When man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the
body warn the tongue saying, ‘Fear Allah as regards us for we are at your
mercy; if you are upright, we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become
crooked.’" (At-Tirmidhee)
Summary
Backbiting
and slander is so widespread that it has become the topic of people’s meetings
and an avenue for expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy. Those who
indulge in backbiting are oblivious of the fact that they are only harming
themselves. This is because of the fact that on the Day of Resurrection both
the wrongdoer and the wronged will stand before Allah, Who is the Just Judge,
Allah will then give this wronged person from the good deeds of the person who
wronged him in accordance with his wrong by backbiting.
Some
situations allow us to inform others of what someone has done. It is allowed
for us to inform the authorities when someone does injustice to us or others.
It is allowed for us to inform someone who can help a perpetrator from
committing further vice. It is also permissible for us to tell whoever seeks
our advice on a person for business dealings or marriage. In this case it is
not allowed for us to hide what we know about the person so that the enquirer
will not be deceived. All these types of speaking about others are lawful.
Islam
teaches us that if people are being ridiculed or backbited in our presence, we
should defend their honor. If we neglect this, we shall deprive ourselves of
ever needed help and mercy from Allah - If a man's Muslim brother is slandered
in his presence, and he is capable of defending him and does so, Allah will defend him in this world and in the next.
But if he fails to defend him, Allah will destroy him in this world and the
next. (Baghawi). What will we do the next time we are tempted to backbite or
hear slander in our presence? Right now the choice is ours!
We
ask Allah the Most High, the All Powerful, to teach us that which will benefit
us, and to benefit us by that which we learn. May Allah grant blessings and
peace to our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his family and companions.