Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Tariq bin Shihab narrates that there was some harsh exchange of words between Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed and Hazrat Saad. Then a man came to Hazrat Saad and started speaking ill of Hazrat Khalid. Hazrat Saad said: Stop! Surely, the dispute between us does not reach our religion!

Hazrat Zaid bin Suhan narrates that Hazrat Umar said: What prevented you that when you saw a man dishonoring people’s reputations, you did not even feel any sense of honor about it? The people replied: We were only protecting ourselves from his tongue. He said: This is even more disgraceful, that you are becoming witnesses to it.

Hazrat Qais narrates that Hazrat Amr bin Al-Aas passed by a dead mule and said to his companions, "If any one of you eats this until his stomach is full, it is far better than eating the flesh of his Muslim brother."

Hazrat Abu Huraira narrates that I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! What is backbiting? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That you mention about your brother something which he dislikes. I submitted: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! What is your opinion if what I say is actually present in my brother? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If what you say is present in your brother, then indeed you have backbitten him, and if what you say is not present in your brother, then indeed you have slandered him.

Hazrat Hakam narrates that a son of Hazrat Abu Darda said: A man spoke ill of another man in his absence, so another person stopped him. Upon this, Hazrat Abu Darda said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: Whoever defends his brother’s honor, it will become a barrier for him against Hell.

Hazrat Aun narrates that a man spoke ill of another man in his absence, so another person rejected his words. Upon this, Hazrat Umm Darda said: Indeed, I envy you, because whoever defends the honor of his brother, Allah Almighty will protect that person from the scorching wind of Hell or from the burning fire of Hell.

Ibrahim narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When you mention something that exists in a person, then you have not declared his purity.

Hazrat Ziyad bin Alaqah narrates that Hazrat Usamah bin Sharik said: I was present when the Bedouins asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Will there be sin upon us for doing such and such? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O servants of Allah! Allah has removed sin except for the one who backbites his brother, for because of that he becomes sinful.

Hazrat Sha’bah narrates that Hazrat Mu’awiyah bin Qurrah said: If you see a person with a severed hand and then you mention him in this way: “the one with the severed hand,” then this too will be considered backbiting. The narrator says that I mentioned this matter before Hazrat Abu Ishaq, and he said: He has spoken the truth.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Bakr narrates that Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari said: If I see a man drinking goat's milk on the road and then I mock him, I fear that I will not die until I also drink goat's milk on the road.

Hazrat Sha'bi narrates that Hazrat Ibn Mas'ud said: When you say something about your brother which is present in him and he is not hearing it, then indeed you have committed backbiting against him, and when you say something which is not present in him, then indeed you have slandered him.

Ibrahim narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If I mock a dog, I fear that I might become a dog myself.

Ibrahim narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Calamities are inflicted because of (people's) words.

Hazrat Abu al-Duha narrates that Hazrat Masruq said: When you say something about a person that is actually present in him, then indeed you have committed backbiting against him, and when you say something about him that is not present in him, then you have slandered him.

Hazrat Ibn Ajlan narrates that Hazrat Harith said: I was holding Ibrahim's hand and we both intended to go to the mosque. Meanwhile, I mentioned a man and backbit him. So Ibrahim said to me: Go back and perform ablution; the Companions used to consider this as obscene speech.