Ghībah · Backbiting

The story

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī: 'By Allah, fasting is not refraining from food and drink alone. Fasting is refraining from food, drink, and lying, ghībah, and false words.' The classical scholars treated ghībah as one of the most prevalent and damaging tongue-diseases.

Why it's named first

Ghībah is mentioning your brother in a way he would dislike, even if true. The Prophet ﷺ defined it precisely (Muslim 2589, Abū Hurayrah): when asked 'What if what I say about him is true?' he replied: 'If what you say is true, you have backbitten him; if false, you have slandered him.' The Quran's image is structurally severe (Q 49:12): backbiting is like eating the flesh of your dead brother.

In the Qur'an

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“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 Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.”

49:12Listen Read 49:12 with tafsir

Svenska: Troende! Undvik i möjligaste mån att göra lösa antaganden [och förmoda det ena och det andra om varandra]; det kan ligga synd i sådana antaganden. Och spionera inte på varandra och tala inte illa om andra bakom deras rygg. [Eller] skulle någon av er vilja äta sin döde broders kött? Nej, den [tanken] skulle ni finna vämjelig! Och frukta Gud! I Sin barmhärtighet går Gud den ångerfulle till mötes!

In the Sunnah

Muslim 2589 (above). Cross-ref Abū Dāwūd 4875 (ʿĀʾishah): the Prophet ﷺ said about a short woman: 'You have said something that, if mixed with the sea, would pollute it.' Tirmidhī 1931 (Anas): 'When I was taken on the Miʿrāj, I passed by people whose nails were of copper, scratching their faces and chests. I asked Jibrīl who they were; he said: These are the ones who eat people's flesh and dishonor them.'

The cure

1. Develop the habitual response: when others begin ghībah, change the topic or leave. 2. Make tawbah for past ghībah: ask Allah's forgiveness; if possible without causing further harm, ask the person you backbit for forgiveness; if not possible, make abundant duʿāʾ for them. 3. Train the tongue to say only what is needed. 4. Recall Q 49:12 image when tempted: am I about to eat my brother's dead flesh?

What is at stake

The believer's good deeds are transferred to the one he backbit. On the Day, the muflis (bankrupt) hadith (Muslim 2581): one comes with prayers, fasts, charity, but having backbitten this one and slandered that one and taken from the third's wealth, his good deeds are distributed to them; when they run out, their sins are placed on him; he is thrown into Hell.