Reports on backbiting and talebearing

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when a foul-smelling wind arose. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Do you know what this wind is? This is the stench of those who backbite the believers."
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from backbiting and from listening to backbiting.

It is reported with the same chain that he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade talebearing and listening to talebearing. Al-Tabarani recorded both reports in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; the chain contains Furat bin al-Sa'ib, who is matruk (abandoned).

It is reported from him that he said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Talebearing, reviling and (tribal) zealotry will be in Hell, and they cannot come together in the breast of a believer."
Al-Tabarani recorded it through the narration of Muhammad bin Yazid bin Sinan from his father; both of them are da'if (weak), though they have been declared trustworthy.

It is reported about Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to say: "The one who utters an indecent word and the one who listens to it are equal in sin."
Abu Ya'la recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Hassan bin Kurayb, who is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Busr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The envier, the talebearer and the one who practises soothsaying have nothing to do with me, and I have nothing to do with them." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: "Those who harm believing men and believing women for no deed (that is, crime) of theirs have borne the burden of slander and manifest sin."
Al-Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains Sulayman bin Salamah al-Khaba'iri, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abu Barzah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Beware! Lying blackens the face, and talebearing is a cause of the punishment of the grave."
Abu Ya'la and al-Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains Ziyad bin al-Mundhir, who is a liar (kadhdhab).

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Backbiting is more grievous than fornication." It was asked: "How is that?" He said: "A man commits fornication and then repents, and Allah Almighty accepts his repentance; but the repentance of the backbiter is not accepted until the person concerned forgives him."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains Abbad bin Kathir al-Thaqafi, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever eats the flesh of his brother in this world, (his brother) will be brought near to him on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to him: 'Eat him alive, just as you ate him dead.' So he will eat him, grimacing and screaming."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains Ibn Ishaq, who is a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain), and a narrator whom I do not know.

It is reported from him that he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man who used to backbite people in this world will be brought, and it will be said to him: 'Eat the flesh of your dead brother, just as you ate his flesh while he was alive.'" Then the narrator mentioned the rest of the hadith as before.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains Ibn Ishaq, who is a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain). The rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: On the night the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken on the Mi'raj, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked into Hell, and there were some people there eating carrion. He asked: "O Jibril, who are these people?" He said: "These are the ones who used to eat the flesh of people." Then he saw a man of reddish complexion, with blue eyes and dishevelled curly hair, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "O Jibril, who is this?" He said: "This is the one who hamstrung the she-camel (of Sayyiduna Salih (peace be upon him))."
Ahmad recorded it. Its chain contains Qabus, who is thiqah (trustworthy), and in whom there is weakness. The rest of its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: "Do you know what the greatest form of zina (adultery) is in the sight of Allah Almighty?" The people submitted: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The greatest form of zina in the sight of Allah Almighty is that the honour of a Muslim man be treated as lawful (to violate)." Then he recited this verse: "Those who harm believing men and believing women for something they have not done."
This narration was recorded by Imam Abu Ya'la, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Among the greatest forms of zina (adultery) is that a man assails the honour of his brother."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Bazzar with two chains, and the narrators of one of them are the narrators of the Sahih, except for Muhammad bin Abi Nu'aym, who is thiqah (trustworthy) but has some weakness.

Sayyiduna Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The greatest form of zina (adultery) is that one of you assails the honour of his Muslim brother."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat from his teacher Muhammad bin Musa al-Ayli, from Amr bin Yahya al-Ubulli, and I do not know either of them; the remaining narrators of this narration are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Once I was walking along with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he was holding my hand, and another man was on his left. Two graves came before us, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "These two are being punished, and they are not being punished for something (apparently) major (that is, a major sin that is difficult to avoid)." Then he said: "Yes indeed (it is major): one of them did not guard himself against his urine, and the other used to go about spreading tale-bearing. Which of you will bring me a branch?" The narrator says: The two of us raced, and I got there before my companion and brought the branch. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) split it into two halves, placed one piece on one grave and the other piece on the other grave, and said: "As long as these two remain fresh, their punishment will be lightened; and these two are being punished only for backbiting and for (not guarding against the splashes of) urine."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Imam Ibn Majah has recorded part of this narration.
This narration was recorded by Imam Ahmad, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except for Bahr bin Marrar, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by (the grave of) a man who was being punished in his grave for tale-bearing.
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its chain contains a narrator, Khulayd bin Da'laj, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Ya'la bin Siyabah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he knew this about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): he came to a grave whose occupant was being punished, and he said: "This man used to eat the flesh of people." Then he called for a fresh branch, placed it on his grave and said: "Perhaps, as long as this branch remains fresh, (the punishment of) this man will be lightened."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and by Imam Ahmad within a long hadith which will come later in the chapter on the signs of prophethood. Its chain contains a narrator, Asim bin Bahdalah, who is thiqah (trustworthy) but has some weakness. The remaining narrators of this narration are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyidah Asma bint Yazid (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you about the best of you?" The people submitted: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Those who, when they are seen, Allah is remembered." Then he said: "Shall I not tell you about the worst of you? They are those who go about with tale-bearing, who stir up corruption between friends, and who seek hardship for the innocent."
This narration was recorded by Imam Ahmad. Its chain contains a narrator, Shahr bin Hawshab, whom more than one scholar has declared thiqah (trustworthy). The remaining narrators of one of its chains are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Ghanm (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that this hadith reached him from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) (he said): "The best of the servants of Allah are those who, when they are seen, Allah is remembered; and the worst of the servants of Allah are those who go about with tale-bearing, who cause separation between friends, and who seek hardship for the innocent."
This narration was recorded by Imam Ahmad. Its chain contains a narrator, Shahr bin Hawshab. The remaining narrators of this narration are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best people of my Ummah are those who, when they are seen, Allah Almighty is remembered; and the bad people of my Ummah are those who go about with tale-bearing, who cause separation between friends, and who seek hardship for the innocent."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani. Its chain contains a narrator, Yazid bin Rabi'ah, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna al-Bara (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us (in a voice so loud) that it reached the veiled women in their homes (here the narrator is unsure whether the word used was "homes" or "curtains"). He said: "O you who have believed with your tongues while faith has not entered your hearts! Do not backbite the Muslims, and do not pursue their private faults, for whoever pursues the private faults of his brother, Allah Almighty will pursue his private faults; and whoever has his private faults pursued by Allah Almighty, He will disgrace him even while he sits inside his own house."
This narration was recorded by Imam Abu Ya'la, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We offered the Zuhr prayer behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he finished the prayer, he turned towards us in a state of anger and called out in a loud voice, a voice that reached even the women in their homes. He said: "O you who have accepted Islam while faith has not entered your hearts! Do not censure the Muslims, and do not pursue their private faults, for whoever pursues the private faults of his Muslim brother, Allah Almighty will tear apart his veil and expose his private faults, even if he is within the privacy of his own house."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat with similar wording, and in place of the words "Do not censure the Muslims" he recorded: "Do not harm the Muslims." Its chain contains a narrator, Rumayh bin Hilal al-Ta'i. Abu Hatim says: He is majhul (unknown); no one narrated from him except Abu Tumaylah Yahya bin Wadih.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon whose voice reached the veiled women in their homes. He said: "O you who have believed with your tongues while faith has not entered your hearts! Do not harm the believers, and do not pursue their private faults, for whoever pursues the private faults of his Muslim brother, Allah Almighty will tear apart his veil and will set over him someone who pursues his private faults and disgraces him, even if he is inside his own house."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when a man submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! How incapable so-and-so is!" (The narrator is unsure; perhaps the words were:) "How weak so-and-so is!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have backbitten your companion and you have eaten his flesh."
This narration was recorded by Imam Abu Ya'la and by Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and their wording is: "A man got up and left the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people saw incapacity in the way he rose, so they said: 'How incapable so-and-so is!' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'You have eaten your brother and you have backbitten him.'" The chains of both narrations contain a narrator, Muhammad bin Abi Humayd, who according to one view is called Hammad, and he is extremely da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). A man got up and left, and after he had gone another man said something about him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pick your teeth." He submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! Why should I pick my teeth? Have I eaten any meat?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have eaten the flesh of your brother."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The people mentioned a man in his presence and said: "How incapable he is!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have backbitten your brother." The people submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! We only said what is in him." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you said what is not in him, then you would have slandered him."
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani. Its chain contains a narrator, Ali bin Asim, who is da'if (weak).