This document discusses the sin of backbiting (gheebah) in Islam. It defines backbiting as speaking about another person's faults in their absence. The document outlines how backbiting disobeys Allah and causes personal and social harms. It provides examples of backbiting and exceptions. It also discusses the severe consequences of backbiting in this life and the afterlife, and emphasizes repentance and guarding one's tongue as cures. The overall message is a strong warning against the sin of backbiting and encouragement to instead speak good of others.

3. USE OF TONGUE
OBEDIENCE OF ALLAH
• Enjoining righteousness
• Forbidding evil
• Reciting qur’an
• Other righteous acts
OBEDIENCE OF SATAN
• Lying
• Backbiting
• Spreading calumnies
• Other forbidden acts

4. DEFINITION OF GHEEBAH

5. RULING OF GHEEBAH

6. RULING OF GHEEBAH
The Prophet (Salla Allahu ‘Alayhee wa Sallam) was
looking into marrying Safiyyah (Radhi Allahu
‘Anhum). Aisha (Radhi Allahu ‘Anhum) saw her
yet out of natural jealousy really didn’t want the
Prophet to marry her. So the Prophet asked
Aisha about her and Aisha said she was nice and
everything was good about her, but then Aisha
made a gesture with her hand to show that
Safiyyah was short. In response to this the
Prophet said just this gesture; if she were to put
it into an ocean it would stain the whole ocean.

7. BE CAREFULL
“Know that whoever hears Gheeebah
being committed against another he
should reject it and chastise
whoever is saying it. If can not, he
should forbid him with his hand. If
unable he should leave that
audience.”
- An-Nawawee
ONE WHO
LISTENS TO
BACKBITING
IS
SAME AS ONE
WHO
BACKBITES

8. CAUSES OF GHEEBAH

9. EFFECTS
Personal Level
• Torment in the hereafter.
• In a loosing trade.
Society Level
• Cowardly Personalities
• Bad relation
• Cultivation of enmity.
• Hatred towards the victim
• Mischief in the society

10. Consequences of Backbiting
• The Prophet (s) once gave counsel to Abu Dharr (r) , saying: “O Abu Dharr!
Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is greater than adultery (zina’).” Abu
Dharr (r) said: “Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah?” He (s) replied:
“That is because when a man commits adultery and then repents to God,
God accepts his repentance. However, backbiting is not forgiven until
forgiven by its victim.”
[Al-Hurr al-`Amili, Wasai'l al-Shi`ah, vol. 8, hadith no. 18312]
• The Noble Messenger (s) said: “Whoever backbites a Muslim spoils his
fasts and breaks his wudu', and shall come on the Day of Resurrection
with his mouth's stench more putrid than a carcass', and it shall irk those
who are with him in his station (mawqif). If he dies before repenting, his
death is like that of one who dies while considering permissible that which
is prohibited by God, the Exalted and the Glorious.”
[Al-Hurr al-`Amili, Wasa'il al-Shi`ah, vol. 8, hadith no. 16316]

11. Consequences of Backbiting
• Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) narrated from the Prophet (s) who said: “O you
who have embraced Islam with your tongues but in whose hearts
faith has not yet entered, do not disparage Muslims and do not
seek their defects. Verily, God will seek out the defects of he who is
after their defects; and one who has God after his defects will be
humiliated, even in his own abode.”
[Al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 2, "Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr", "Bab man
talaba 'atharat al-Mu'minin", hadith no. 2]
• Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) narrated from the Prophet (s) who said: “The
havoc wrought on the believer's faith by backbiting is swifter than
the one wrought by aklah (a disease that consumes the flesh) in the
side of his body.”
[Al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 2, "Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr", "Bab al-
Gheebah wa al-Buht", hadith no. 1]

12. Examples of Gheebah
Description of body, lineage, profession etc.
• He is a black person.
• That man is a barber.
Related to religious law.
• He does not offer salah.
• He drinks alcohol.
May be character or worldly matters.
• He is quick-tempered.
• He sleeps a lot.

13. Matters that are not Thought to be Gheebah
"I am ready to
say it in front of
him (in his
presence)."
"Some people
do such and
such" - when
the person
being spoken to
understands
exactly who is
being talked
about.
"This is a child
so it is
permissible to
backbite him.“
“Respected Sir”
or “Honored
Gentleman”
with intention
to degrade.

14. Exceptions for Backbiting
Complaining of
injustice to the ruler.
Seeking help to correct
someone.
To seek a Islamic legal
ruling from a scholar.
To warn and advise
muslims about evil.
If someone commits
sin or innovation in
public.
A nickname (not to
degrade him) that is
the norm for the
person and is in
widespread use.

15. The Cure for Gheebah
• Sincerely repent to Allah,feel sorrow & intend to
refrain in the future
• If Gheebah reaches the backbitten person, the
backbiter have to seek excuse from him. If not
then he should seek forgiveness for him, pray for
him, and speak well of him in the same amount
that he spoke ill of him.
• Rectify the reason that causes you to backbite.
• Occupy yourself with your own shortcomings.
• Gourd your tongue from from speaking anything
but goodness.

16. In Conclusion...
Prophet (PBUH) said:
• “Whoever gives me surety to safeguard what is between
jaws and what is between legs, I guaranteed for him
paradise.” [Sah�h al-Bukhari� (6474)]
• “O you who have believed by their tongues, but Faith has
not yet entered their hearts, do not
commit Gheebah against the Muslims and do not seek their
errors. Verily, he who seeks their errors, then Allah will seek
his errors (Le., He will not pardon and conceal them), and
he whom Allah seeks his errors, He will shame him, even in
his own house. " (Sahih: Abu Dawood)

17. Prayer….
• We ask Allah to save us all from the ills of the
tongue and the torment of the Fire.
• We also ask Allah to benefit whoever reads this,
distributes it and hears it.
• May He make it a means of drawing us nearer to
the Gardens of Delight and make it a proof on our
behalf and not against us.
• May Allah's peace and blessings be on His
Messenger, his household and all of his
Companions.