Backbite in Islam: Why This Sin Is a Direct Ticket to Hellfire
Backbiting is a devastating sin. Among the sins most widespread in society, the tendency to backbite in Islam is one of the most common. This sin acts like a silent assassin. Without a person even realizing it, it depletes their treasury of good deeds and can ultimately cast them into the fires of Hell. It is more severe and vile than theft, bribery, adultery, and even eating the rotten flesh of a dead person. Yet, what’s astonishing is how constantly people commit this heinous sin. It has become a habitual act for many, from casual conversations at a tea stall to social media feeds and everyday chats. Even more shocking, some do not hesitate to commit this foul sin while sitting in the House of Allah, the mosque. Very few people, even among the outwardly righteous, are safe from the filth of backbiting.
Excluding the Prophets and Messengers, no human being is above flaws and mistakes. However, Islam has declared that discussing those flaws is haram (forbidden). The religion also prohibits even listening to such talk. In this article, we will try to shed light on the various aspects of backbiting, Insha’Allah (God willing).
Defining Backbiting: A Key Backbiting Hadith
What is Backbiting (Gheebat)?
Gheebat (الغِيْبَةُ) is an Arabic word with literal meanings that include gossiping, speaking ill of others, slander, or revealing someone’s faults in their absence.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) beautifully captured the technical meaning of Gheebat. Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked,
“Do you know what backbiting is?” They (the Companions) replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He then said, “It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike.” Someone asked, “But what if what I say is true about my brother?” He replied, “If what you say about him is true, you have backbitten him. If it is not true, you have slandered him.”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2589)
In short, if someone genuinely has a fault and would dislike you discussing it, then speaking that truth to someone else is Gheebat. If that fault doesn’t exist in them, it is Buhtan, or slander.
Related Islamic Terms
Hasan al-Basri (RH) said, “There are three forms of this, all mentioned in the Book of Allah: Gheebat, Ifk, and Buhtan.”
- Gheebat (Backbiting): To mention something about your brother that is actually true.
- Ifk (False Rumor): To repeat something you have heard about someone without verifying it.
- Buhtan (Slander): To say something about your brother that is not true.
Other related terms include:
- Namimah (Malicious Gossip): Spreading words from one person to another to cause corruption and conflict. While similar to backbiting in form, its impact is often far more destructive.
- Humazah & Lumazah: Humazah means criticizing someone to their face. Lumazah means criticizing them behind their back.
- Shatm: To curse, rebuke, insult, or mock someone.
How People Backbite in Islam and Its Ruling
How is Backbiting Committed?
According to scholars, people commit backbiting in four primary ways:
- With the Tongue: This is the most common method. Gossip, casual talk, and speeches are the primary vehicles for verbal backbiting.
- With the Heart: This refers to holding negative assumptions (Sū’ al-Ẓann) about someone. Imam al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that just as the tongue is forbidden from backbiting, the heart is forbidden from thinking ill of others.
- With Gestures: A person can also backbite through their eyes, hands, or head movements. When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) once gestured to indicate another woman was short, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “You have backbitten her.” (Musnad Ahmad)
- Through Writing: Backbiting also occurs through the written word. Today, this includes social media posts, text messages, and emails. Imam al-Ghazali said, “The pen is one of the two tongues.”
The Islamic Ruling and the Quran on Backbiting
Backbiting is a disgusting major sin. It violates the rights of fellow human beings (Huquq al-‘Ibad). The Quran on backbiting is explicitly clear. Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَابٌ 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 Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.”
(Surah Al-Hujurat, 49:12)
Imam al-Qurtubi (RH) said, “There is no difference of opinion that backbiting is a major sin.” Not only is committing it a sin, but listening to it with approval is equally sinful.
When is Disclosing Faults Permissible?
In specific situations, speaking of someone’s faults is categorized differently:
- Haram (Forbidden): Speaking about someone’s flaws in their absence when they would dislike it. This is the default form of backbiting and is forbidden.
- Wajib (Obligatory): It is obligatory to disclose faults to warn the Muslim community. Examples include a Hadith scholar pointing out flaws in a narrator’s reliability or providing honest information about a potential spouse when asked. You may also warn someone about a dishonest business partner.
- Mubah (Permissible): It is permissible if there is a legitimate, Sharia-compliant reason. For instance, a victim can complain about an oppressor to a judge. One can also ask a Mufti for a religious ruling (fatwa) by describing a situation or use a well-known title (like “the blind man”) to identify someone without intending to mock them.
Why People Backbite in Islam: Root Causes
People fall into the heinous sin of backbiting for various reasons. Some of the most significant causes include:
- A Weak Fear of Allah: The less a person fears Allah, the more likely they are to engage in sins.
- Idleness and Boredom: Backbiting thrives in leisure time. People often fill the void with gossip when they have nothing productive to do.
- Excessive Joking and Mockery: People often backbite to get a laugh, making fun of someone’s appearance, way of speaking, or flaws.
- Anger and Revenge: In a state of anger, a person loses control. They may resort to exposing others’ faults to “get back” at them.
- Arrogance and Pride: A person who feels superior may belittle others by pointing out their flaws to elevate themselves.
- Envy and Hatred: Jealousy can drive a person to tarnish the reputation of someone they envy.
- Negative Assumptions: Thinking ill of others is the backbiting of the heart. This often leads to vocalizing those negative thoughts.
- Seeking Favor with Superiors: In workplaces, some people backbite their peers to look better in front of their leaders.
The Severe Punishment for Backbiting in Islam
The consequences of backbiting in this life and the hereafter are terrifying. Here is a summary of the severe punishment for backbiting in Islam:
- It’s a Horrific Major Sin After Aisha (RA) remarked about another wife being short, the Prophet (ﷺ) told her, “You have said a word which would contaminate the water of the sea if it were mixed with it.” (Sunan Abi Dawood, 4875; Tirmidhi, 2502). This powerful backbiting hadith shows how potent even a single word of backbiting is.
- It’s Worse Than Eating a Dead Brother’s Flesh The Quran uses the powerful analogy of eating a dead brother’s flesh to illustrate this sin’s sheer repulsiveness (Surah Al-Hujurat, 49:12).
- It’s More Severe Than Adultery and Interest (Riba) The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The worst of interest is to attack the honor of a Muslim brother.” (Silsilah as-Sahiha, 1871). In another narration, he stated that consuming one dirham of interest is worse than committing adultery 36 times. He then clarified that the most severe form of interest is violating a Muslim’s honor. (Musnad Ahmad).
- It Leads to Punishment in the Grave The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by two graves and mentioned that their occupants were being punished. He said the reason for one of them was that “he engaged in backbiting.” (Musnad Ahmad, 2719). Qatadah (RA) said, “One-third of the punishment of the grave is due to backbiting.”
- It Destroys a Person’s Faith (Deen) Hasan al-Basri (RH) said, “By Allah, backbiting destroys a believer’s faith faster than a disease consumes his body.”
- It Nullifies Good Deeds Backbiting corrupts acts of worship like fasting and prayer. Hafsah bint Sirin (RH) said, “Fasting is a shield, as long as the fasting person does not break it. And backbiting breaks it.”
- It Exposes One’s Own Flaws The Prophet (ﷺ) warned, “Whoever seeks out the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will seek out his faults. If Allah seeks out his faults, He will expose him even if he is in the privacy of his own home.” (Sunan Abi Dawood, 4880).
- It Transfers Sins onto Oneself On the Day of Judgment, a backbiter will become bankrupt. The Prophet (ﷺ) described a person who will come with prayers, fasting, and charity. However, because he insulted, slandered, and harmed others, his good deeds will be given to his victims. If he runs out of good deeds, his victims’ sins will be transferred to him, and he will be thrown into the Hellfire. (Sahih Muslim, 2581). This shows the terrifying nature of how people who backbite in Islam are held accountable.
- It Results in Severe Punishment in the Hereafter During his Ascension (Mi’raj), the Prophet (ﷺ) saw people with copper nails who were scratching their faces and chests. Jibril (Gabriel) told him, “These are the ones who used to eat the flesh of people (backbite) and attack their honor.” (Sunan Abi Dawood, 4878).
- It is a Barrier to Entering Paradise A backbiter who dies without repenting cannot enter Paradise directly. Instead, he must first face punishment for his sins. He will be made to dwell in the pus and blood of the inhabitants of Hell until he pays for what he said. (Sunan Abi Dawood, 4938).
Conclusion
From the discussion above, it is crystal clear that backbiting is a silent poison. It destroys a Muslim’s life in this world and the hereafter. It is not merely idle talk; it is an outward manifestation of envy, arrogance, and spiritual corruption. This sin burns away good deeds like fire burns wood and makes one deserving of Allah’s wrath. Therefore, every believer must guard their tongue and completely refrain from speaking ill of others. If one slips and engages in backbiting, they must immediately turn to Allah in repentance and, if possible, seek forgiveness from the person they have wronged.
May Allah grant us all the ability to protect ourselves from this devastating sin. Ameen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of backbiting (Gheebat) in Islam?
According to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), backbiting is to say something about your brother or sister that is true, but they would dislike you saying it. If the thing you say is false, it is called slander (Buhtan), which is an even more severe sin.
Why is backbiting considered such a severe sin in Islam?
Backbiting is considered a major and disgusting sin because it violates the rights of fellow human beings (Huquq al-Ibad). The Quran compares backbiting to "eating the flesh of your dead brother," illustrating its sheer repulsiveness. It is also considered more severe than some other sins because it destroys a person's good deeds and can lead to punishment in the grave and the Hereafter.
In what situations is it permissible to speak of someone's faults?
While backbiting is generally forbidden, there are a few specific, Sharia-compliant situations where disclosing someone's faults is permissible, or even obligatory. These include:
- Warning the Muslim community (e.g., a scholar pointing out a narrator's flaws or advising against a dishonest business partner).
- A victim complaining about an oppressor to a judge.
- Asking a religious scholar for a ruling (fatwa) by describing a situation.
What are some of the consequences and punishments for backbiting?
The punishment for backbiting is severe, and the article mentions several terrifying consequences:
- Loss of good deeds: A backbiter's good deeds are transferred to the person they backbit on the Day of Judgment.
- Punishment in the grave: The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned that some people are being punished in their graves due to backbiting.
- Physical torment in the Hereafter: The Prophet (ﷺ) saw people in his Ascension scratching their faces and chests with copper nails, and he was told they were those who used to backbite.
- A barrier to Paradise: A person who dies without repenting from backbiting may have to face a punishment before being able to enter Paradise.
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