<p class="MsoNormal">Today hate, enmity, disunity is polluting the atmosphere of the Muslim community.<span style=""> </span>Not trusting others, thinking that others hate us and want to harm us, backbiting, slandering and blaming others is fast becoming our recognized habit.<span style=""> </span>All this when the mark of a perfect Muslim is that other Muslims are safe from his word and tongue.<span style=""> </span>Allah has commanded us to stay away from backbiting in His blessed word, the Holy Quran:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">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.<span style=""> </span>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.<span style=""> </span>Surah Hujurat (49:12)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">As a result of this kind of thinking, a person starts thinking in a negative way.<span style=""> </span>Then the person starts digging out the private lives of others to humiliate them.<span style=""> </span>A direct result of this is that the person becomes debased and loses respect with everyone.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">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.<span style=""> </span>Allah reveals the hidden defects of the person who keeps searching for the private details of a Muslim.<span style=""> </span>Allah debases and humiliates the person whose hidden defects are revealed, even though that person may be sitting in his own house.<span style=""> </span>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.<span style=""> </span>Backbiting is like eating the flesh of the dead body of a brother.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is a Hadith in Majma Uz Zawaid that a Sahabi left the assembly of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).<span style=""> </span>After he had gone another person said something about him.<span style=""> </span>The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: You pick your teeth.<span style=""> </span>He said, why should I do it?<span style=""> </span>Did I eat any meat to do so? <span style=""> </span>The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Yes! You have eaten the flesh of your brother.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Should I not tell you about the worst people?<span style=""> </span>The Sahabah said: Yes! O Prophet of Allah! (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).<span style=""> </span>He said: They are those who keep backbiting, spread disturbances between friends and search for faults in innocent people.<span style=""> </span>(Musnad Imam Ahmed bin Hambal).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hadhrat Abuzar 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.<span style=""> </span>(Shu’abul Iman)</p>