It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to say: "Backbiting (speaking ill of someone behind his back) is that you mention the worst things or faults of your brother in faith which you know to be in him. If you mention something about him that is not in him at all, then that is slander (fabricating false accusations)."
(105) The hadith narrated from Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) has already been mentioned in the chapter on the prohibition of prying into people's hidden faults and exposing them.
Hadith Referenceالمطالب العالية بزوائد المسانيد الثمانية / كتاب الأدب / 2671
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده ضعيف، منقطع
Hadith Takhrij«حکم الحدیث المطالب العالیہ محققاً تنسیق د. سعد بن ناصر بن عبد العزيز الشَّثري- مکتبہ شاملہ :إسناده ضعيف منقطع » «أخرجه مصنف ابن أبي شيبة برقم: 26058»