Hadith: Do you know what backbiting is?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "It is to say of your brother what he dislikes
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:
«أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْغِيبَةُ؟»، قَالُوا: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: «ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ»، قِيلَ: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ؟ قَالَ: «إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدِ اغْتَبْتَهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ».
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم] - [صحيح مسلم: 2589]
المزيــد ...
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Do you know what backbiting is?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "It is to say of your brother what he dislikes." It was said: "What do you think if what I say of my brother is true?" He said: "If what you say of him is true, you have backbitten him; and if not, you have slandered him."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Muslim] - [Sahih Muslim - 2589]
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the prohibited backbiting, which is to speak about an absent Muslim in a way he dislikes, whether you mention traits related to his manners or appearance, like saying the one-eyed man, the cheater, the liar, and or any other reprehensible trait, even if it truly exists in him.
However, if the trait does not exist in him, this is worse than backbiting. This is slander, which is to fabricate bad things about someone.
Benefits from the Hadith
- The Hadīth shows the Prophet’s excellent way of teaching, as he used to bring up issues by means of questions.
- It demonstrates the Companions' politeness towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when they said: Allah and His Messenger know best.
- A person questioned about something he does not know should say: Allah knows best.
- The Shariah protects society by maintaining the rights of its members and the fraternity among them.
- Backbiting is prohibited except, in some cases, for serving a certain interest. Examples include the removal of oppression, as an oppressed person speaks to someone who is able to restore his right to him from the one who wronged him, saying: So-and-so wronged me or did such and such to me. Another example is when someone seeks the opinion of others regarding marriage, partnership, neighboring, and so on.
More ...
- Hadith: When a man loves his brother, he should tell him that he loves him
- Hadith: The five (daily) prayers, Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, are expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided
- Hadith: Some people dispose of Allah's property wrongfully. For them will be Hellfire on the Day of Judgment
- Hadith: Do not insult the dead, because they have attained the fruits of their deeds
- Hadith: It is unlawful for a Muslim to desert his fellow Muslim for more than three nights. As they meet, both of them turn their backs on each other. However, the best of them is the one who starts by greeting the other
- Hadith: The one who severs the ties of kinship will not enter Paradise
- Hadith: The most hateful of men to Allah is the one given to fierce violent disputation