A topic from Prohibitions That are Taken too Lighty- English translation
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Many gatherings produce nothing but gossip about other
Muslims and slander of their honour. This is something which Allaah has
forbidden His slaves, and has drawn the most repulsive analogy to put them off.
He says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . neither backbite one another.
Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it .
. .” [al-Hujuraat 49:12]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained the
meaning of this aayah. He said: “Do you know what gheebah (gossip or
backbiting) is?” They said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said:
"To say something about your brother that he does not want to be
said." He was asked, "What do you think if what is said about him is
true?" He said, "If what you say about him is true, this is
backbiting, and if what you say about him is not true, this is a lie."
(Reported by Muslim, 4/2001).
Gossip or backbiting means saying something about a Muslim
which may be true but which he does not like to hear spoken, whether it be
about his physical appearance, his adherence to religion, his worldly affairs,
his self, his behaviour or his character. There are many forms of gossip,
including talking about a person's faults and imitating him to make fun of him.
People take the matter of gheebah very lightly,
although it is very serious in the sight of Allaah, as is indicated by the words
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "There
are seventy-two forms of riba, the least of which is as bad as a man
having intercourse with his own mother, and the worst of which is when a man
slanders the honour of his brother." (Silsilah al-Saheeh, 1871).
Whoever is present in a gathering where gossip takes place
should "forbid what is evil" and defend his absent brother. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged us
to do this when he said: "Whoever defends the honour of his Muslim
brother, Allaah will protect his face from the Fire on the Day of
Resurrection." (Reported by Ahmad, 6/450; see also Saheeh al-Jaami',
6238).
