Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From this hadith, it is understood that to mention about a brother such a statement, action, or condition which is indeed present in him, but the mention of which causes him displeasure and harm—because it humiliates and disgraces him and results in his belittlement and disparagement—this is backbiting (ghibah). However, if that fault, deficiency, or evil is not actually present in him, then this is not backbiting but rather slander and false accusation, which is even more severe and grave than backbiting.

Imam Nawawi rahimahullah writes: Backbiting (ghibah) is that you mention about a person something which he dislikes, whether it pertains to his religion or his worldly affairs, or his self and physical appearance, or his wealth, or his character, or his clothing, or his manner of walking, or his wife and children, or his parents and servants—whether this mention is by speech, or by writing, or by gesture or allusion. However, it should be kept in mind that the mention of faults and deficiencies is considered backbiting and a sin only in the case where there is no worldly or religious necessity or need for it.

If, for the sake of the welfare and well-wishing of others, or to prevent some corruption or harm, it becomes necessary to mention the actual evil of a person or group before others, or if the attainment of some legal (shar‘i), moral, or social objective depends upon it, then in such a case, mentioning the evil, fault, deficiency, or weakness of a person or group will not be considered backbiting. Rather, it will be a meritorious act.

For example: giving testimony against someone before a ruler, warning people against a professional deceiver’s tricks, the scholars of hadith (muhaddithin) mentioning the faults and deficiencies of non-upright narrators in the process of scrutinizing narrations, exposing the errors and innovations of the people of innovation (ahl al-bid‘ah) and informing people of their deeds for the protection and defense of the religion and the Shari‘ah—these are not backbiting, but rather a religious obligation and legal necessity, for the fulfillment of which there is reward.

Explanation:
1:
Backbiting (tale-bearing) is forbidden (haram) and a major sin (kabirah).
In the Noble Qur’an, it has been likened to eating the flesh of one’s dead brother.
In this hadith as well, its repulsiveness has been described.
The reason for its repulsiveness is that the one who backbites attacks his brother’s honor and dignity in his absence,
and causes him distress.
Backbiting is to mention a person in such a way that he would dislike it,
whether this mention is in words,
or by gesture and allusion.

Takhrij:
[مسلم ، البرو الصلة 70],
[تحفة الاشراف 223/10]
➊ Backbiting is like eating the flesh of a dead brother:
Allah the Exalted has said in the Noble Qur’an:
«وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ» [49-الحجرات:12]
“Let none of you backbite another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor it.”
The meaning is that just as a dead person cannot defend himself if his flesh is eaten, similarly, the one who is being backbitten cannot defend his honor due to his absence.
In the Noble Qur’an, Allah the Exalted has declared the consumption of carrion unlawful, and if it is the flesh of a dead human—and that human is a brother—then how much greater is its prohibition?

➋ Why did the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ask the Companions about the meaning of backbiting instead of explaining it himself?
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was an extremely wise and sagacious teacher; therefore, when teaching, he would draw the attention of the Companions in various ways and instill in them a desire for knowledge, so that the matter would be firmly established in their minds, and if there was any confusion, it would be clarified.
Abu Sa’id bin al-Mu’alla (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to him: “Before you leave the mosque, I will tell you the greatest surah of the Qur’an.” When the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was about to leave the mosque, the Companion held his hand and reminded him of the promise, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is Surah al-Fatihah.” [بخاري : 4474 ، 4647 ]
He said to Mu’adh (radi Allahu anhu): “Indeed, O Mu’adh! I love you.” After expressing this affection, he said: “Do not leave this supplication after any prayer:
«رب اعني على ذكرك وشكرك وحسن عبادتك» [صحيح النسائي 1236 ۔ السهو 60 ]
If you reflect, thousands of pages written by modern education experts are but a minor explanation of this single point, which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) always kept in mind.

➌ What is backbiting?
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave such a clear and comprehensive definition of backbiting that no ambiguity remains.
«ذكرك اخاك بما يكره»
“To mention about your brother that which he dislikes (to be mentioned about him).”
Imam Nawawi (rahimahullah) has elaborated on this in al-Adhkar; the summary is:
“Whether that thing relates to his body, his religion, his worldly affairs, his appearance, his character, his wealth, children, parents, wife and children, his clothing, gait, speech, cheerfulness, or grimness—in short, anything related to him that he dislikes to be mentioned is backbiting. Then, whether this mention is by tongue or in writing, by gesture or allusion, in all these forms it is backbiting. The gesture may be with the eyes, the hand, the head, or any part of the body—it is included in backbiting.

Backbiting regarding the body:
For example, to belittle him by calling him blind, lame, one-eyed, bald, short, tall, dark-skinned, hunchbacked, or any similar word. Regarding religion, backbiting is to call him a sinner, thief, traitor, oppressor, lazy in prayer, impure, disobedient to parents, rogue, etc. Regarding worldly matters, for example, to call him useless, talkative, gluttonous, etc. Regarding character, for example, to call him ill-mannered, arrogant, show-off, hasty, cowardly, irritable. Regarding his father, for example, to belittle him by calling him a weaver, cobbler, black Abyssinian, etc. Then, one form of backbiting with the tongue, hand, or body is to mimic him—for example, to imitate his stammering, nasal speech, limping walk, hunchback, or short stature. In short, the rule is that any action intended to belittle a Muslim brother is backbiting and is unlawful.

➍ Is backbiting ever permissible?
Sometimes, backbiting about a Muslim brother becomes permissible, and his fault may be mentioned in his absence.
The rule is: when a necessary religious objective cannot be achieved without it, then it is permissible. Nawawi (rahimahullah), and before him Ghazali (rahimahullah), have enumerated six situations where backbiting is permissible:
① Complaint about oppression:
The oppressed has the right to speak against the oppressor. Allah the Exalted has said:
«لَّا يُحِبُّ اللَّـهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَن ظُلِمَ» [4-النساء:148]
“Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged.”
And the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: «ان لصاحب الحق مقالا» “The one with a right has the right to speak.” [بخاري : ح 2390]
It is better to mention one’s oppression before a king, judge, or someone who can help.

② To inform those who can prevent a sin or evil act, so that they may join in stopping it or stop it themselves.
If the intention is merely to disgrace the doer, it is not permissible. The verses and hadiths regarding enjoining good and forbidding evil are evidence for this.

③ To mention someone’s fault before a mufti for the purpose of seeking a fatwa (legal verdict) is permissible. For example, Hind bint Utbah (radi Allahu anha) asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) about her husband Abu Sufyan (radi Allahu anhu), saying that Abu Sufyan is a miserly man and does not give me enough for myself and my children. Should I take from his wealth without his knowledge? The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Take what is sufficient for you and your children in a reasonable manner.” [بخاري : 2211 ، البيوع/94 ]
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not forbid Hind (radi Allahu anha) from mentioning her husband’s fault, because her purpose was to ask a legal question.

④ To inform others of someone’s evil for the benefit of the Muslims and to protect them from harm is permissible. ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
«ايذنوا له بئس اخو العشيرة» [البخاري ۔ 6054 ]
“Permit him to enter, for he is a bad man of his tribe.” (The hadith is lengthy.)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) considered it necessary to inform ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) of that man’s evil. Many things fall under the benefit of the Muslims and protecting them from harm:
(a) Criticism of hadith narrators and witnesses in legal cases is permissible, rather obligatory, and there is consensus of the Ummah on this.
(b) When someone seeks advice regarding marriage, entrusting something, partnership, choosing a neighbor, business, or any other matter, one should state the truth.
Fatimah bint Qays (radi Allahu anha) asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) about marrying Mu’awiyah (radi Allahu anhu) and Abu Jahm (radi Allahu anhu). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Mu’awiyah is poor, he has nothing, and Abu Jahm beats women much. Marry Usamah.” [صحيح مسلم : 1480، الطلاق6 ]
And this is the right of a believer: «واذا ستنصحك فانصح له» “When he seeks your advice, give him sincere counsel.” [صحيح مسلم 2162، الادب 3 ]

⑤ If a person openly disobeys Allah, robs people, or openly drinks alcohol, then mentioning those sins which he does not feel the need to conceal and does not mind being mentioned is permissible. Because backbiting is to mention that which he dislikes.

⑥ If a person is known by a nickname, without which he cannot be identified, and he does not dislike it, then mentioning him by that nickname is permissible, even if it contains some defect. For example: «أَعْمَشْ» (one whose eyes are weak), «أَعْرَجْ» (lame), «أَصَمْ» (deaf), «أَعْميٰ» (blind), etc., on the condition that the intention is not to belittle him.

➎ Is it permissible to backbite a non-Muslim?
Allah the Exalted has said in the Noble Qur’an:
«وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا»
“Let not the believers backbite one another.”
Similarly, from «ذكرك اخاك بمايكره» it is also apparent that only the backbiting of a Muslim is unlawful, because a disbeliever is not our religious brother.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه مسلم، البروالصلة، باب تحريم الغيبة، حديث:2589.»©Explanation:
In this hadith, the reprehensibility and abhorrence of backbiting is described.
Backbiting (ghibah) is unanimously forbidden (haram) and is a major sin (kabirah).
In the Qur'an, backbiting is likened to eating the flesh of one's dead brother, because the one who engages in backbiting attacks the honor of his Muslim brother in his absence and causes him distress.