Imam Ibn Baaz said:
Backbiting and tale carrying are two major sins from the major sins, thus it is obligatory to be warned from that.
Allah Subhaanahu Says:
و لا يغتب بعضكم بعضا
Neither backbite one another.
[49:12]
And the prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:
During the Mi’raj (the Night of Ascension), I saw a group of people who were scratching their chests and faces with their copper nails. I asked, ‘Who are these people, O Jibril?’ Jibril replied: ‘These are the people who ate flesh of others (by backbiting) and trampled people’s honour.”‘
They are the people of backbiting and regarding backbiting, the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:
“Mentioning your brother with that which he dislikes” – this is backbiting – mentioning your brother with that which he dislikes.
Similarly mentioning a sister for the sake of Allah, with that which she dislikes (is backbiting) whether it be from the men or the women.
It was said to him صلى الله عليه و سلم:
“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.”
Thus backbiting is an evil and a major sin from the major sins.
Tale Carrying is the same [in ruling]. Allah Jala Wa Ala says:
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ*هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاء بِنَمِيمٍ
And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless. A slanderer, going about with calumnies.
[68:10-11]
The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:
The tale carrier shall not enter Paradise.
He صلى الله عليه و سلم also said that he saw two individuals being punished in their graves; one of them carried tales and the other did not keep himself safe from being soiled with his urine.
Thus it is obligatory upon you oh Sister, for the sake of Allah, to be warned from sitting with those who backbite people and carry tales.
If you were to sit with them, then reject that upon them and warn them from the consequences of that. Inform them that this is not permissible [and] that it is evil. If they don’t leave it off then separate from them, don’t sit with them, and don’t join them in backbiting nor in tale carrying.
A Side Benefit:
Criticizing isn’t back biting in six cases:
- Complaining
- Identifying
- Warning
- When the person is committing evil openly
- When advice is sought
- When one is asking for help in removing an evil.
[As Sanaani relayed it in ‘Subulus Salaam’ and An-Nawawi mentioned it in ‘Riyaadus-Saaliheen’].
Translated by
Majid Jawed Al Afghanee
Abu Layl
Yahya Ibn Abi Katheer said:
The tale carrier and liar [cause to become] corrupt in an hour that which the magician can’t corrupt in a year/
[(Shaykh Muhammad Hizaam said Abu Nuaym reported it in Al Hilya then mentioned the chain and said this chain is Hasan]
Abul Khattab said ‘and from Magic [sihr] is the striving with tale carrying and causing corruption between the people’.
[Fathul Majeed pg 470]
Ibn Hazm said: They agreed [scholars] upon the prohibition of backbiting and tale carrying in other than the obligatory advise.
Translated by
Majid Jawed Al Afghanee
Abu Layl
