The habit of backbiting has become accepted in society and is often seen as something light when it is a very serious matter Photo Jamiatul Ulama
World – Allah (SWT) has granted us many blessings and bounties. From amongst those is the tongue. Contrary to popular belief, the tongue is not the strongest muscle in the body, but it may well be the muscle structure with the greatest endurance. Day in and day out we speak but the tongue never gets tired. However, due to this great endurance, this tongue can be used to our detriment.
Interacting with people is part of human nature and it is something that is needed. However, what tends to happen is people will start with one seemingly innocent topic and eventually find themselves discussing another person. Sometimes, we may not even realise it and before we know it, we have started a Geebah (backbiting) feast.
The definition of backbiting
Before we understand the harms and severity of backbiting, we have to understand what it is, said Maulana Muhammed Shaik. It is not uncommon that a person falls into this trap because they do not know what it is.
Abu Hurairah (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Do you know what is backbiting?” The Companions (RA) said: “Allah and His Messenger know better.” Thereupon he said, “Backbiting is talking about your (Muslim) brother in a manner which he dislikes.” It was said to him: “What if my (Muslim) brother is as I say.” He said, “If he is actually as you say, then that is backbiting; but if that is not in him, that is slandering.” [Muslim]. (Riyad as-Salihin 1523)
“Often, when a person is told that he is indulging in Geebah, backbiting, they will say that what they are saying is true. From this Hadith (narration of Nabi (SAW)) we understand that backbiting is saying anything, even if true, will upset your Muslim brother should he come to hear of it. And if it is something false, it is worse than backbiting, and regarded as slander. This is where people get confused. Backbiting is not connected to lies. It is connected to the truth.”
However, there is one exception to this rule, explained Maulana Shaik. This comes when a person has to relay some information about a person who has harmed them in some way or another.
“In Surah Nisa, Allah (SWT) says, He (SWT) does not like a person who discloses anyone’s evil conduct in speech, except by one who has been wronged. So, for e.g. A person has abused you or usurped your wealth or has caused some other harm to you, you need to seek help or report it. This is not considered backbiting. This is the exception, but the intention is one needs to be seeking justice and/or respectfully warning others of what has happened.”
Commenting on the physical features of a person
Another serious action which we do very carelessly is commenting on a person’s appearance. Whether it be their height, weight, beauty or anything else for that matter. Such statements carry such great sin which many fail to recognise.
Narrated by Aisha (RA), Ummul Mu’minin: “I said to the Prophet (SAW): It is enough for you in Safiyyah that she is such and such. He replied, You have said a word which would change [pollute] the sea if it were mixed in it.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4875)
“The commentators of Hadith say that all Aisha (RA) said was Safiyyah (RA) was short. Nothing more, nothing less. Compare it to what you and I say on a daily basis. The words we utter everyday regarding other people. We say much worse about people. Aisha (RA) says that immediately after saying this, the anger it caused Nabi (SAW) was apparent. To you and I, this statement is nothing. We say worse things every day. Now imagine, if this statement could cause such a drastic change to the sea, what would happen if our statements were dropped in it?”
SMread: Translation of the Holy Quraan into Setswana: A Historic Initiative
The punishment of backbiting in this world
A person who is not particular about the things he says is analysed in three perspectives, said Maulana Shaik. The worldly life, the grave and the Hereafter.
“Allah (SWT) says that those people who love it, they enjoy this sort of talk. They are always eager to hear more, they are excited to hear new things about people. For those people, Allah (SWT) says there is a severe punishment for them in this world. What is this punishment? Nabi (SAW) says that a person who mocks or ridicules his Muslim brother for a sin he committed, not a sin he didn’t commit but a sin he committed, that person won’t die until Allah (SWT) involves that person in that exact same sin.”
This is not an occurrence of the past. We have people in our lives who are currently going through the same, but we don’t know about it. Salih, who opened up about his life, explained that he fell into the same sins he once mocked another group for falling into.
“I knew a group of people who were involved in different acts of sin. I never looked down on them but one day, in my foolishness, I blurted out how can they be involved in such sins. Drinking, gambling, clubbing and all sorts. It was a mistake on my part, but Allah (SWT) is my witness, not even a year later, I was consumed by those very same sins. What took me only seconds to say, completely changed my life around.”
Besides committing these sins, he explained that his entire life changed around. His life and those he mocked did a reversal.
“I was always in the masjid for every salaah, always around the pious and always going for Deeni programmes. However, those few sentences took me away from that good life. Slowly my life became rotten and those same people I mocked; they began to change their lives around. It is only now, maybe three years after, that I am finally able to leave that life. What I once despised, I became consumed by it.”
The punishment of the grave and Hereafter
As far as the punishment of the grave is concerned, Maulana Shaik mentioned a Hadith, narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA) in which Nabi (SAW) once passed by two graves and said, “These two persons are being tortured not for a major sin (to avoid). One of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other used to go about with calumnies (making false and defamatory statements).” (Sahih al-Bukhari 218)
“A person will be given his book of Deeds on the day of Qiyamah and he will find in his book of Deeds acts which he did not do. He will then tell Allah (SWT) that I did not carry out these good deeds, I did not do all of these good acts. Allah (SWT) will say that those are the good deeds of those people who backbited about you. That is why Hassan al-Basri (Rahimahullah) whenever he heard someone had backbited about him, he would prepare a plate of sweetmeats and take it to his home in exchange for the good deeds that person had given him.”
Malik ibn Dinar (Rahimahullah) said, “If you see hardness in your heart, weakness in your body, and deprivation in your provision, then know well you have said something which you were not supposed to say.”
In this day and age, we may find it awkward to not join in with our friends when they mock someone, when they belittle a person. But are we ready to disobey the law of Allah (SWT), to throw away bundles of good deeds simply for a quick laugh and giggle? This tongue of ours can be the means of our destruction or our salvation depending on how we use it. Let us make sure that this blessing Allah (SWT) has given us is used to be our salvation and remove ourselves from such situations that get us involved in this grave sin.
