Reprehensible actions and characteristics that come under the title of ‘Major Sins’ are many. Some rate higher on the scale due to the damage they cause to the individual’s spirituality, and havoc they wreak on the society.

Backbiting is of these Major Sins, because it is the root of dissension and discord. It is the ‘arm of the devil’ responsible for spreading unpleasantness, malice and spite, and the leading cause of enmity amongst people.

QURAN

“Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know.” [an-Nur 24:19]

Abi Omayr narrated from Imam asSadiq that He said: “Those who talk about that, which they have seen from a believer, with their own eyes, or may have heard from him with their own ears, they are those that Allah has described in the Quran as 'those who love that scandal should circulate.’”

“O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, surely Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful.” [al-Hujurat 49:12]

This verses’ exegesis can mean, either a description of the actual punishment for those that participate in backbiting (Ghiba) as per this hadeeth narrated from The Messenger of Allah; “The Prophet while on his journey (Iisra'a & Mir'aj) looked into hell and saw a group eating carcasses. He asked, 'O'Jibrael who are they?’ Jibrael said, 'They are the ones that eat the meat of people (backbite)”. Alternatively, it can be a similitude, likening back-biting someone, to the literal biting and chewing of his meat.

In his exegesis of this verse, Ayatullah Pooya, has also gone extensively into suspicion and spying, but only that related to backbiting has been quoted below;

"At one time, some companions sent Salman e-Farasi to the Holy prophet to get some food. The Holy Prophet sent Salman to Usama bin Zaid who looked after the kitchen of the Holy Prophet. Usama begged to be pardoned for there was nothing in the kitchen. When Salman returned without anything, the companions said that Usama was a miser and Salman also the same. Later whenthose companions appeared before him, the Holy Prophet said: 'What is the matter, I see some particles of flesh in your teeth?' They said that they had not had any animal food. The Holy Prophet said, 'It is the flesh of Salman and Usama'. This verse was revealed- [al-Hujurat 49:12]"

“Woe to every backbiter, slanderer,” [al-Humazah 104:1]

In the Exegisis of 'Majma'a alBayaan', the author says this verse refers to a promise from Allah for every backbiter and slanderer. He has given several meanings to the words HUMAZA and LUMAZA that are translated as backbiter and slanderer. One is that alhumaz is the backbiter and lumaza is the slanderer. It is also said that alhumaza is one who talks about someone’s faults to their face, and lumaza is the one, who in his presence, backbiting is done. Moreover, it is said that alhumaza is one that prods or pricks people with his hands and lumaza is one that winks with his eyes or gestures with the tongue.

Despite the possibility of differing meanings, it all boils down to the same, with a very severe punishment promised for the perpetrators and the act is considered one of the Major Sins.

What is that promise?

In the Quran, Allah says ‘woe’ to every backbiter or slanderer. ‘Woe’, or as it is known in Arabic ‘waylun’, is said to be a name for a degree or Valley in Hell, which is the promised abode for those who participate in immoral and heinous actions, included therein is the act of slander and backbiting.

"Woe to every backbiter, slanderer". They are those who sting others with their speech, behaviour, mimicry, or sarcasm, at their back or in front of them. They mock them and defame them with evil motives. The term 'humazah' is from the root word 'hamz' which originally means 'to break', and since backbiters and slanderers break the personality of others, the term 'humazah' is used for them. The term 'lumazah' is derived from 'lamz' with the meaning of 'to backbite' and 'defame'.

Commentators are divided as to whether these two terms refer to one meaning -backbiter - therefore, these two are mentioned for emphasis; or there may be a difference between them. But some have said that the term 'humazah' means backbiter and 'lumazah' means 'fault-finder'.

Furthermore, others believe that the term 'lumazah' means 'those who make innuendoes with their hands and face when trying to find fault in others', and 'lumazah is meant for those who do this action with their tongues. Also, some have meant the first term in the sense of 'fault-finding' in the face of people, and the second when done behind their back. Again, some think the first means 'apparent faultfinding' and the second means 'subtle fault-finding done with the eyes and eyebrows'. Moreover, sometimes, both of the terms have been meant for the one who defames people by using lowly titles for them.

Nevertheless, from all the above possible meanings, it is understood that these two terms are used in the same sense with a vast array of meanings, so that it includes any faultfinding, defaming, backbiting, sarcasm and mockery by tongue or mimicry. In any event, the term woe (wayl) is a strong threat against this group of people and basically the Quran takes a serious stance on these kind of persons."

“Allah does not love the public utterance of hurtful speech unless (it be) by one to whom injustice has been done; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.” [An-Nisa’ 4:148]

Islam strictly forbids every kind of defamation either by speech or action. However, open defamatory speech by an aggressed one against the aggressor is a natural expression of the aggressee's feelings of pain for the injury suffered by the individual. Islam being a natural and a practical religion tolerates such exposition of the human feelings in an open utterance. Thus, the cursing of a tyrant by those who feel for the tyranny has been exempted. The devoted Muslims who identify themselves with the Holy Prophet and His Holy Ahlul-Bayt naturally feel for their sufferings and openly invoke the curse of God upon the tyrants. Such an open cursing is alluded in this verse. It must be remembered that cursing with the justification for it, is a Godly act. God, the Angels, the men of God and the people curse those who deserve the cursing.

“Yield thou not to any mean swearer, Backbiter, one who goes about slandering.” [Al-Qalam 68:10-11]

HADEETH

Imam alRedha narrates, ‘Allah revealed to one of His Prophets that when you wake up, eat the first thing you are confronted with, conceal the second, take the third, do not dishearten the fourth, and flee from the fifth.

He said that when he woke up, he was confronted with a massive black mountain. He stood and, looking somewhat confused, said: 'My Lord, may He be exalted, ordered me to eat this!' Then he started thinking to himself and concluded that: 'Surely my Lord, may He be exalted, would not order me to do anything that I am unable to handle.' Then he started to walk towards the mountain intending to eat it. When he finally reached it, he found that it was but only a small morsel, so he ate it, and found it to be one of the tastiest bites he had ever eaten.

He was then confronted with a bowl of gold. He said, 'My Lord ordered me to conceal this.' So he dug a hole, placed the bowl in it, and then covered it. He walked on, and suddenly turned back to find that the bowl of gold he had concealed was visible again. He said, 'I had obeyed my Lord's orders!' He went back to find that it was in fact a bird and, behind it, a hawk.

The bird was fluttering around him, so he said, 'My Lord, may he be exalted, ordered me to take this'. He opened his sleeve wide and the bird flew in. The hawk then said to him, 'You have taken my catch, which I have been after for days'. He then said, 'My Lord, may He be exalted, ordered me not to dishearten this one.' So he cut a piece of flesh from the bird's thigh and threw it to the hawk, which took it and left.

As he continued, some smelly dead meat confronted him, which was full of worms. He said, 'My Lord ordered me to flee from this'. He fled and came back home.

He saw in his dreams, 'You have performed all that you were ordered to do, but do you know why you did all that?'

He said, 'No.'

As for the mountain, it represents anger. If a person becomes angry, he is not able to control himself, and becomes ignorant of His (Allah’s) powers because of this intense anger. However, if he is able to control himself, know His Powers, and allow his anger to subside, he will come to realize that the result will be like that small bite that you ate.

The bowl represents good deeds. If a person conceals them, Allah will not allow but that they are revealed in order to adorn the person (in this world), besides the rewards that are treasured for him in the Hereafter.

As for the bird, it represents a person who comes to you with advice: give him your attention, and accept his advice. As for the hawk, it represents the person who comes to you with a need: do not dishearten him (by turning him away). And the dead smelly meat is BACKBITING; flee from it’.

Imam Moussa alKhadim, ‘The mention of anything evil about any person around those, whom did not know about it, is backbiting’.

The Holy Prophet said, ‘abstain from backbiting for it is worse than adultery, for after committing adultery, if one seeks Allah's pardon, He grants it. However, the forgiveness for backbiting is not granted until the one back-bitten forgives first’.

Imam asSadiq, ‘A woman came to the Messenger of Allah to ask a question and one of his wives was present, after she left, this wife made a gesture with her hand, describing the shortness of the lady. The Messenger of Allah said to her, 'wash your mouth'. She said, 'have I eaten anything (in order for me to wash)?’ He repeated, 'wash your mouth'. So she did and a morsel was washed out of her mouth’.

Imam asSadiq, ‘Backbiting eats at one's good deeds (hasanaat) in the same manner that fire eats wood’.

Hadeeth Qudsi. ‘A backbiter, if he repents, will be off the last to enter paradise, and if he does not repent, then he will be off the first to enter hell’.

Prophet Mohammad, ‘Whoever backbites a Muslim, be it male or female, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days and nights, unless he seeks forgiveness from the one whom he backbit,

Prophet Mohammad said, ‘On the Day of Judgement, one will be brought before Allah and his Book of Deeds will be handed to him. In it, he will not see his good deeds (hasanaat). He will say, 'My Lord! This is my book and I do not see in it my deeds’. He is told: Your Lord neither misguides nor forgets, your deeds have all diminished as a result of you back-biting people. Then another will appear and also be given his Book of Deeds. In it he sees many deeds, so he says, 'My Lord! This is not my book, for I have not performed any of these deeds. This one is told, ‘they are a result of so and so backbiting you, his deeds have been transferred to you’.

Ibn Abbas narrated, ‘Punishment of the Grave is three-thirds. One-third for backbiting, another third for slander, and the last third for urine. (People who do not wash them selves after urinating, or if urine accidentally soils their bodies or clothes, they think little of it. Urine is one the major impurities (najasaat). It is more impure than semen and faeces)

Abdal Moumin alAnsari said, ‘I came to visit Moussa bin Jaafar and present was Mohammad bin Abdallah alJaafari, whom I smiled at. Imam Moussa said, 'do you love him?’ I said, 'Yes, I love him because of you (Ahlul-bayt). He then said, 'He is your brother. The believer is the brother of the believer. Cursed is the one who accuses his brother, cursed is the one that deceives his brother, cursed is the one that does not advise his brother, cursed is the one that backbites his brother'

It is narrated that Prophet Jesus with his disciples passed a rotting carcass of a dog. The Disciples said, 'What an offensive smell it has!’ Prophet Jesus said, 'What white teeth he has'. This was a lesson in backbiting. A lesson not to mention Allah's creation except with what is good

Imam Ali (as) said:

Backbiting is a springtime pasture for the ignoble

The One who listens to backbiting is one of the backbiters.

Backbiting is the endeavour of the incapable

Backbiting is find faulting in secret

Whoever is aware of his faults will have no time for the faults of others

How fortunate is the one whose concern for his own faults keeps him from noticing the faults of others.

Oh Slave of Allah, do not be quick to find fault with the wrong actions of anyone - for perhaps he may have been forgiven; and do not feel at ease with your self even if it is only slightly disobedient - for perhaps you may be punished for it. So may whoever of you who knows about others' faults be restrained by what he knows about his own faults, and may he be concerned only with his own gratitude for being spared from what troubles others.

Slander is a deadly arrow

Slander is the bridge to evil

WHAT IS GHIBA

The Messenger of Allah said: backbiting is to mention something about your brother that he may hate to have mentioned.

Imam asSadiq said, ‘Backbiting is to mention something about your brother, concealed by Allah (hidden from the knowledge of other people)’.

Moussa bin Jaafar (as) said: Whoever mentions something about a man behind his back which is a part of him and his character, and the people already know about it, then it is not backbiting. Should he mention something about him behind his back which the people have no knowledge of, then he has backbitten him. If he mentions him behind his back with something that is not part of him, then he has slandered him.

If the defect or characteristic in a person is present, visible, and known to all then it does not come under the category of backbiting, but it would come under the subtitle of defamation, causing hurt and scorning the faithful. Nonetheless, under the guise of these subtitles it is still forbidden.

Below is a summary of Sheikh alAnsari's finding in relation to what is considered backbiting:

The revealing of a defect or shortcoming, be it something common, or concerned with one's religion, which has been hidden (by Allah) from the ears of the one about to hear it, and that which the person (the one being talked about) would hate to have revealed, and the intention of the backbiter is to belittle the one who possesses this characteristic.

Transmitting news of something which is not known to others, not for sake of scorning or belittling, but for other reasons, such as amusement, or to use as evidence, or even as a show of compassion (for example you feel sorry for someone who may have a physical or some other defect or problem, which is known only to you, but you talk about it to someone else who has no knowledge of it out of pity. This is considered backbiting). There is no doubt that this type of backbiting referred to in the above instances is forbidden.

On the third front, there is the transmitting of news of a person's defect to someone else who already knows of this defect. On face value, some narrations say that this form of talk is removed from under the title of backbiting, although there is other narrations that place this also under the title of backbiting. Nevertheless in light of that, should the backbiter's intention be to scorn and belittle, then without doubt it again falls under the title of a forbidden act. Because the transmitting of such news may cause harm and weaken a believer’s position. Although the backbiter's intentions may not be to cause harm, it nevertheless happens and it is beyond his power to control the fallout from what has been relayed to others.

The clear evidence from the narrations and from the findings of Scholars is that, there is little difference between the mentioning of defects or characteristics in one form or another. Be it a physical, dispositional or hereditary characteristic or defect, be it about one's words or one's actions, about one's worldly business or religious matters, or about matters related to his dress, house, transport and the likes.

For example, such things that come under the mentioning of physical bodily characteristics is to say so and so is bleary-eyed, cross-eyed, bald, short, black, yellow and so on. Characteristics a person may possess, thus causing him hurt should it be mentioned in an ill manner. As for backbiting related to heritage is to say this persons father is immoral, cruel, sordid etc. As for dispositional backbiting, it is to say that one is covet, or proud, or a coward, is weak, or a thief, etc.

Examples of backbiting which strikes at ones beliefs and principles is to say for example, so and so is a liar, or drinks alcohol, or is negligent in his prayers. Backbiting related to one's worldly affairs is to say, so and so is a big eater or big sleeper, or his clothes are dirty, old, torn, long, short. In short, it is mentioning something that the other party does not accept.

It is also forbidden to generalize. An example of that is that you may have seen a Lebanese man stealing. You cannot say, 'The Lebanese are thieves', for then you have backbitten a whole nation.

WHAT IS NOT GHIBA

To mention someone who makes a public show of his lewdness and immorality. For example, drinking in public, or walking without hijab, is not considered backbiting. Although it must be noted that, you can only mention the acts that are carried out in public and any other defects or actions that are not visible, are not to be mentioned.

Talking about an oppressor and mentioning the oppression that he commits is not considered backbiting. Although as a precautionary measure, it would be better to mention it only before people that you wish to save you from the oppressor’s hands. However, if it is evident that the one you are complaining to cannot help you in any way then it would better from a precautionary aspect not to mention the oppression.

If a person seeks your advice about a person he will be dealing with, and you know that this second party has a defect that will cause harm to the person who sought your advice, then it will not be categorized as backbiting if you should mention the defects. It could be even said that not to mention the defect would be a betrayal to the person that sought advice from you.

However, any mention of defects should be limited to what would cause harm, should he go ahead with the deal. Should there be more harm caused to the second-party by you exposing his defects than the harm that will occur to the first-party if he goes ahead with the deal, then you should refrain from exposing him. Plus if it is possible for you in anyway to stop the deal from going ahead without having to expose the second-party, then you should utilize those means, and if the objective is met, be satisfied and cease at that.

Doing ghiba, for sake of "forbidding evil, and enjoining good'. This has its conditions. If it is possible that making ghiba will surely make this person refrain from what ever act he is engaging in then it is permissible, otherwise its not. Again, as in the prior statement, should the harm to the person be worse than the act he is committing, then it is forbidden to expose him.

Ghiba of the misguided, and innovators in order to expose them so that the faithful will not be deceived by them

To do Ghiba against a licentious person who has come with news or has come forward and testified as a witness, in order to expose him for what he really is, is not ghiba.

Not with intention to debase or insult someone, and provided that the person is not hurt by these titles which are used in order to define the exact person your talking about, it is allowed to say, for example, 'so and so, who limps while walking'.

The long and the short of it is that Ghiba can be done in situations where there will be more benefit in it than injury pertaining to whatever the situation may be.

REPENTENCE

In view of the fact that Ghiba is of the Major Sins, repentance has to come firstly from deep regret from the backbiter, for he has disobeyed his Lord. After the heartfelt regret, one should do Istighfar (seek forgiveness) with the tongue, and declare that he will not revert to performing this sin.

As it appears in some of the narrations that the one who has been backbitten has some rights over the backbiter, it therefore becomes necessary, if possible, for one to seek forgiveness from the one he did ghiba against. In the case that the one who was backbitten doesn’t know about it, and should he find out and become enraged and angry, thus diminishing the meaningful purpose (which was repentance), it would be better in this situation to seek forgiveness on behalf of that person, every time he comes to your mind. Alternatively, ask Allah to seek forgiveness from him on your behalf. As can be seen in the supplication of Imam AlSajjad, No.39:

O God, if there is a servant from among Thy servants whom an ill visits on my account, a harm touches from my direction, or a wrong overtakes through me or because of me, and should I fail to take care of his right or go before him [in death] with his complaint, bless Muhammad and his Household, satisfy him toward me through Thy wealth, and give him his full right from Thyself!