Backbiting is a great sin

 Today hate, enmity, disunity is polluting the atmosphere of the Muslim community.  Not trusting others, thinking that others hate us and want to harm us, backbiting, slandering and blaming others is fast becoming our recognized habit.  All this when the mark of a perfect Muslim is that other Muslims are safe from his word and tongue.  Almighty Allah has commanded us to stay away from backbiting in His blessed word, the Holy Quran:

 

Ye who believe! avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs.  Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...but fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.  Surah Hujuraat (49:12)

 

As a result of this kind of thinking, a person starts thinking in a negative way.  Then the person starts digging out the private lives of others to humiliate them.  A direct result of this is that the person becomes debased and loses respect with everyone.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: O People who have embraced Islam with the tongue, but Iman has not yet entered the hearts! Do not backbite your brother Muslim, do not hurt them, do not try to find out their private details.  Allah reveals the hidden defects of the person who keeps searching for the private details of a Muslim.  Allah debases and humiliates the person whose hidden defects are revealed, even though that person may be sitting in his own house.  To express the unpleasant nature and the horribleness of backbiting, Allah has used an illustration which no sane person would even think of trying to do it.  Backbiting is like eating the flesh of the dead body of a brother.

 

There is a Hadith in Majma Uz Zawaid that a Companion left the assembly of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  After he had gone another person said something about him.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: You pick your teeth.  He said, why should I do it?  Did I eat any meat to do so?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Yes! You have eaten the flesh of your brother.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Should I not tell you about the worst people?  The Companions said: Yes! O Prophet of Allah! (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  He said: They are those who keep backbiting, spread disturbances between friends and search for faults in innocent people.  (Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal).

 

Hadhrat Abudharr Ghifari (May Allah be well pleased with him) says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: If a person spreads something about a Muslim without a valid reason to find fault with him, then on the Day of Judgment, Allah will make him suffer for it in hell.  (Shua’bul Iman)