Backbiting and its Effects on Society

COMSATS University Islamabad

Abbottabad Campus

Bachelors of Science in Electrical (Power) Engineering

Assignment No: Two

Submitted to:
Submitted by: Wajahat Murtaza
Registration #: FA19-EPE-125
Dated: 2nd Oct, 2019

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

Table of Contents
1 Backbiting ................................................................................................................................ 3
1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Backbiting in The Light of the Holy Quran ..................................................................... 3
1.3 Backbiting in the Light of Hadith .................................................................................... 4
2 Causes of Gheebah .................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 Envy and Jealousy ............................................................................................................ 5
2.2 Grudge and Angriness ...................................................................................................... 5
2.3 Joking and Boasting ......................................................................................................... 5
2.4 To Sweeten a Conservation .............................................................................................. 5
2.5 Keeping Up with Backbiters ............................................................................................ 6
2.6 Taking Revenge................................................................................................................ 6
2.7 Exalting yourself by Backbiting Other............................................................................. 6
3 Effects/Harms of Backbiting ................................................................................................... 6
3.1 Hostility among People .................................................................................................... 6
3.2 Jealousy and Grudge ........................................................................................................ 6
3.3 Backbiting is Abhorrent to Intelligence and Heart........................................................... 7
3.4 Backbiting Causes Serious Problems and Unwelcoming Tragedies ................................ 7
4 Reasonable Grounds for Backbiting ........................................................................................ 7
5 Penance for Backbiting ............................................................................................................ 8
6 Prohibition of Listening to Backbiting .................................................................................... 8
7 Solutions for Avoiding Backbiting in the Light of Islam ........................................................ 8
8 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 9
9 References ............................................................................................................................. 10

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

Backbiting and Its Moral Effects on

Society
1 Backbiting
1.1 Introduction
Backbiting or Gheebah in Arabic is to say something about a person, behind is back, which will
offend him if said in the presence of that person. It includes mentioning behind his presence
about his culture, physical appearance like color, height, his religious, his profession and about
his family. Backbiting is one of the major sins in light of Islam. Allah in Quran forbids it because
Gheebah sows the seed of heatedness among the tow friend, brothers or persons. It leads to the
decrement of a person who is involved in doing backbiting [1].

The Risal e Noor Tafsir defines the backbiting as follows:

“It would be Gheebah if the man who was backbitten were in presence and would be offended
when he heard it. If what was said is true, it is backbiting. If not, it is both backbiting and
slander. It is a doubled-ugly sin.”

1.2 Backbiting in The Light of the Holy Quran

Allah forbids the backbiting in several places in the Holy Quran. In Holy Quran:

“O you, who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is
sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his
brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is accepting of
repentance and Merciful.”

[Al Hujrat, 49:12]

It means that Allah is mentioning the backbiting as a dirty thing and refers it with eating meat of
his own brother [2].

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

On other place in Holy Quran Allah mentioned:

“Allah does not like anyone’s foul words being voiced loud (publicly and openly) except by
one who has been a victim of oppression (he is allowed to expose the cruelty of the oppressor),
and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing”.

[An Nisa 4:148]

1.3 Backbiting in the Light of Hadith

The Holy Prophet said that:

“Backbiting destroys the religion in a way that is more destructive than canker” [3].

“He who publicizes an ill matter is regarded as him who originated it, and whoever disregards
a faithful believer for a matter will not die before that very matter sticks to him” [4].

Imam as Sadiq said:

“For him who publicizes an affair of a believer for disgracing and disrespecting him, Allah
will dismiss him from His custody and deliver him to the Shaitan’s” [5].

“Do not backbite (others) so that others will not backbite you. Do not dig a hole for making
your brother fall in it, lest you yourself may fall in it. As you condemn others, others will
surely condemn you” [6].

Abu Dharr (r) once asked the Prophet Muhammad (s): “O Messenger of Allah, what is
Gheebah?”
He replied: “It is to mention about your brother that which he detests.”
Abu Dharr (r) said: “O Messenger of Allah, what if that which is mentioned of him should
actually be in him?”
He (s) replied: “Know that when you mention that which is in him, you have committed his
Gheebah, and when you mention that which is not in him, then you have slandered him”” [7].

2 Causes of Gheebah
The following are some of the causes of Gheebah:

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

2.1 Envy and Jealousy

When someone has grudge or envy with other person, he wants to disgrace that person through
backbiting. Islam even forbids the envy and jealousy. As in Quran:

“Quite a number of the People of the Book wish they could turn you (people) back to infidelity
after you have believed, out of selfish envy, after the Truth had become Manifest unto them:
But forgive and overlook, till Allah accomplishes His purpose; for Allah has power over all
things”.

[Al Baqarah, 2:109]

2.2 Grudge and Angriness

It is one of the cause of backbiting. When someone has hate or grudge on other person, he wants
to denounce him by backbiting him. So Islam also advises the Muslims to not show angriness or
hate to other [8].

2.3 Joking and Boasting

Joking is another cause of Gheebah. It is considered as a fresh topic to for joking about others.
Boasting is also one of the cause of backbiting [9].

2.4 To Sweeten a Conservation

Backbiters get pleasure and happiness by chatting about the faults of other persons. In the Holy
Quran:

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

“Behold, you received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things which you had
no knowledge; and you thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of
Allah.”

[Nur, 24:15]

2.5 Keeping Up with Backbiters

Some persons do backbiting by pleasing other backbiters. They make fun of others in front of
other backbiters. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said that:

“Whoever protects dignity of his brother, Allah the Exalted protects his dignity on the day of
Judgement.”

Another Hadith is as follows:

“If a Muslim is humiliated unjustly and his brother would not help him even though he is able
to, Allah humiliates him on the day of Judgement and would not help him.”

2.6 Taking Revenge

Sometimes a person takes revenge from the person who has backbitten him before. However, it
is not a good attitude. If someone backbitten you, his good deeds will be deducted and you will
receive his good deeds. For the same reason, Hasan Al Basri sent a gift to the person who
backbitten him with a note saying that: “thank you for sending me your good deeds”.

2.7 Exalting yourself by Backbiting Other

The truth is that no one would be exalted by having others defective. Furthermore, a Muslim
avoids praising and showing himself as better than others do even by his real values and virtues.

3 Effects/Harms of Backbiting
Major sins are indeed the cause for all misery, evil and torment in this world and the hereafter. In
addition, the worst of all sins are those that are greatest in harm and danger to humanity. Among
the destructive major sins are backbiting and slandering. Allah forbids these two sins because
they sow enmity, evil and discord among people and lead to destruction [10].

3.1 Hostility among People

Backbiting causes hostility among the people, between friends, neighbors and family members.

3.2 Jealousy and Grudge

Backbiting also causes grudge and jealousy between two persons or friends. It spreads
angriness. It, furthermore, breeds faction and hypocrisy, and destroys unity and harmony in
society and shakes pillars of the religion. For this reason, corruption and evil increase at all
times. Anas (r.a) reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
said,

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

“When I ascended through the heavens, I passed by some people holding copper nails which they
were gouging their faces and chests with them. I said, ‘Who are these, Jibril?’ He said, ‘Those are
the people who consumed people’s flesh and attacked their honor.”

(Abu Dawud)

3.3 Backbiting is Abhorrent to Intelligence and Heart

Slander and backbiting are abhorrent to the intelligence and the heart, to humanity and
conscience, to nation and society [8].

3.4 Backbiting Causes Serious Problems and Unwelcoming Tragedies

Since backbiting is a destructive element that devastates the social construction and spoils the
tied up relations, the Islamic code has forbidden and regarded it as a grand sin. It sow’s the
poisonous seeds of spite among Muslims. When the ill speech reaches the one about whom it is
said, it will arise the feelings of hatred in his inner self; so, he tries to revenge himself upon the
backbiter by answering him by ill speech. In so many cases, backbiting has caused serious
problems and unwelcome tragedies.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) said:

“On the Day of Resurrection, one of you will not find the good deeds that he did in his life in
his record when he will be interrogated. He will ask the Lord about this, and the Lord will
answer him: ‘Your Lord never makes a mistake and never forgets. Because you backbit
people, your good deeds were erased from your record.’ Another one will find many good
deeds that he did not do in his record. He will ask the Lord about such deeds, and the Lord
will answer “Because you were backbitten by so-and-so, I added his good deeds to you” [9].

4 Reasonable Grounds for Backbiting

The following are the some conditions for backbiting:

 If it is required to present a complaint to some higher authority or officials, so that with

this evil be removed from society.
 If a person wants to do business with another and comes to seek, your advice and you say
to him, purely for the sake of, his benefit and advise him correctly, without any self-
interest: “Do not do business with him; it will be to your disadvantage.
 If the purpose is not to expose someone to disgrace and notoriety, but simply to make
people aware.
 The person whose advice is sought in definite matters, such as marriage or trust, is
permitted to backbite the other party by mentioning his defects-. It is also acceptable to
warn a believer against the association with deviants, by referring namely to their defects,
provided that such reference is intended to protect the believer. It is also acceptable to
defame a testifier when it is necessary.

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

 Backbiting is acceptable when it is intended to disavow the claim of a false lineage.

 Backbiting is acceptable when it is intended to refute an untrue saying or an illegal
claim.
 Backbiting is acceptable when it takes the form of testimony against wrongdoers

5 Penance for Backbiting

To make amends for it, one must feel regret and repent from the sins of backbiting. Then, he
must curry favor with the one he backbit and ask him for acquittal. If the backbitten forgives, it
will be satisfactory. If not, to curry favor with him and apologize will be equivalents of the
commitment of backbiting. The previous acts should be done when the backbitten is alive and
when such confessions before him do not arise his rage. If they do, or if he is dead, it is
necessary to seek God’s forgiveness to him.
The Prophet (S) said:
“The penance of backbiting is to seek Allah’s forgiveness to him the backbitten- whenever you
mention him”.

6 Prohibition of Listening to Backbiting

In the same manner as backbiting is prohibited, so also is listening to it. Indeed, as some
traditions indicate, the listener is like the backbiter in all the evil aspects—so much so that his act
is a grave sin carrying an obligation to seek forgiveness from the victim.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) said that:

“The listener is one of the two backbiters”.

[Al-Fayd al-Kashani, Al-Mahajjat al-Bayda', vol. 5, p. 260]

7 Solutions for Avoiding Backbiting in the Light of Islam

 People of weak will and character keep up with chatting since they are not able to drive
the topic. Thus, they listen to the backbiting of his friends carefully and even he adds up
some backbiting in order to be accepted by his friends. However, the duty of a Muslim in
such occasions is to stop backbiters, if they still carry on, he must just leave that place.
 One must reflect upon the harms of backbiting! He should know that he will lose his
good deeds and gets the sins of the one he backbites.
 Sometimes, backbiting is committed in order to make people laugh. One must realize
how wrong it is to receive Divine wrath as an exchange for the pleasure of people.
 It is necessary to keep in mind the foresighted disadvantages of backbiting.
 It is necessary to pay the greatest attention to self- discipline by applying the noble traits
to oneself.
 It is advisable to speak of joyful things, such as pleasant stories and nice purposeful talks,
instead of backbiting.

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Backbiting and its Effects on Society

 It is worthwhile, finally, to control one’s wording and abstain from the initiatives of
backbiting [8].

8 Conclusion
Try to abstain your soul from this sin by keeping your tongue under control. Although some
exceptions are allowed as outlined by the Muslims scholars like to warn others about a certain
person if he cheats or steals, or to seek advice from a professional if a certain act is allowed or
not.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him):

"No fire is faster in consuming dry wood than Gheebah in consuming a devotee's virtues."

[Al-Mahajjat al-bayda', vol. 5, p. 264]

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9 References
[1]. https://www.quran-o-sunnat.com/backbiting-a-moral-evil-of-society/

[2]. https://hamariweb.com/articles/4839

[3]. Quoted from Bihar ul-Anwar; Kitab ul-Ashara, page 177 (as quoted from al-Kafi)

[4]. Quoted from Bihar ul-Anwar; Kitab ul-Ashara, 177 (as quoted from Thawab ul-A’mal and
al-Barqi’s al-Mahassin

[5]. Quoted from Bihar ul-Anwar; Kitab ul-Ashara, page 177 (as quoted from Thawab ul-A’mal,
al-Barqi’s al-Mahassin, and as-Saduq’s al-Amali)

[6]. Quoted from Bihar ul-Anwar; Kitab ul-Ashara, 177 (as quoted from al-Amali)

[7]. Al-Hurr al-`Amili, Wasai'l al-Shi`ah, vol. 8, hadith no. 16312

[8]. http://www.thepenmagazine.net/backbiting-killer-of-social-life/

[9].https://www.al-islam.org/ahlul-bayt-ethical-role-models-sayyid-mahdi-
sadr/backbiting#f_c9f023dc_4

[10].https://www.khaleejtimes.com/editorials-columns/why-islam-prohibits-backbiting-and-
slandering

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