The Evils of Backbiting (Part 4)

The Evils of Backbiting (Part 4) (Reminder)
-Sheikh Muhammad Ismâ`îl al-Sayyid Ahmad.

The prohibition of backbiting (Quran & Hadeeth)

Backbiting is prohibited in Islam. This is a point of consensus among all Muslims, as mentioned by al-Nawawî. Al-Qurtubî says that it is agreed upon that backbiting is a major sin, because of the severe threats of punishment levied by the Qur’ân and Sunnah against the one who perpetrates this sin.

The evidence prohibiting backbiting is considerable.

Evidence from the Qur’ân

1. Allah says: “O you who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor that. And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 12]

Ibn `Abbâs comments on this verse, saying: “Allah prohibits backbiting a believer with the least thing, just as he prohibits eating carrion.”

Abû Ya`lâ discusses the comparison that this verse makes between backbiting and eating carrion, saying: “This emphasizes just how prohibited backbiting is. Eating the flesh of the dead is severely proscribed. It is also something for which people have a natural abhorrence, and people should have the same loathing for backbiting as they have for eating such flesh.”

2. Allah says: “O you who believe! Let not some men among you deride others who may be better than they (are), nor let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Evil is a bad name after faith.” [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 11]

Ibn Kathîr, in his commentary on this verse, says about Allah’s words nor defame one another:

Sneering and defamation of people is condemnable and accursed behavior. Allah says: “Woe to every sneering defamer.” [Sûrah Humazah: 1] Sneering is carried out through one’s actions and defamation is carried out through one’s words. Al-Shinqîtî says: “Sneering is by way of action, like rolling one’s eyes or making a show of contempt or derision. Defamation takes place by way of one’s words and includes backbiting.”

3. Allah says: “Woe to every sneering defamer.”
[Sûrah Humazah: 1]

We have already discussed its meaning. We should note that he verse starts off by proclaiming woe upon those people. The Arabic word used here is wayl. It is a word that implies a threat, conveying the meaning of debasement, punishment, and perdition. Wayl is also the name of a valley in Hell that Allah has set aside for sinners who are obstinate in their sinfulness and for unbelievers who are also wanton sinners.

4. “Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger; detractor, going about with slander.”
[Sûrah al-Qalam: 10-11]

Al-Shawkânî describes the “detractor” mentioned in the verse to mean one who goes about backbiting people.

Ibn Taymiyah says about this verse: “(It tells us) that the liar and oath-invoker are not to be obeyed, telling us by implication not to conduct ourselves in the same manner. Indeed, prohibiting the acceptance of the words of those who exhibit shameful moral conduct is a more eloquent and emphatic reprimand than to merely prohibit the conduct itself.”