Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamulaikum Wr. b.

Dear Brother,

1)What is the definetion of back biting in islam.

Simply i know that back biting is talking bad/or about ppl behind his/her back.I just want to give an example,

I have a problem some misunderstanding at work place with a friend "A" .Later when i came back home , i tell misunderstanding about this friend to my wife. So that i relieve stress and ask her some advice.

By telling my wife about this friend,Am i commiting the sin of back bitting.

Dear brother, i am really confused wiht defination of back bitting.to my knowledge it si very big sin in sight of Allah

Pls reply asap

Regards
Thank You

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Definition of back biting

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 12:

12      O ye who believe!  Avoid suspicion as much (as possible), for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs.  Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay ye would abhor it...but fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-Returning Most Merciful.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4862  Narrated by AbuBarzah al-Aslami

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘O community of people, who believed by their tongue, and belief did not enter their hearts, do not back-bite Muslims, and do not search for their faults, for if anyone searches for their faults, Allah will search for his fault, and if Allah searches for the fault of anyone, He disgraces him in his house!’

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4860  Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘When I was taken up to heaven I passed by people who had nails of copper and were scratching their faces and their breasts.’  I asked: ‘Who are these people, O Jibrael?’  He replied: ‘They are those who were given to back biting and who aspersed people's honour.’

Your Question: What is the definetion of back biting in islam.

Sahih Muslim HadithHadith 6265      Narrated byAbuHurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Do you know what is backbiting?’  They (the Companions) said: ‘Allah and His Messenger (saws) know best.  Thereupon he (the Prophet (saws)) said: ‘Backbiting implies your talking about your brother (behind his back) in a manner which he does not like.’  It was said to him: ‘What is your opinion about this that if I actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of?’  He (saws) said: ‘If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander!.’

Your Question: By telling my wife about this friend,Am i commiting the sin of back bitting.

If what you mentioned to your wife about your friend was told in front of your friend and he would disapprove of it or not like it, then indeed it would be a form of back-biting.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.107b

The Prophet (saws) said, "The atonement for backbiting is to pray for forgiveness of the person who was slandered and to say, 'O Allah, forgive us and him'."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan