On the night that I was taken on my Night-Journey [to the heavens], I passed by a group of people scratching their own faces with their ...
On the night that I was taken on my Night-Journey [to the heavens], I passed by a group of people scratching their own faces with their nails, so I asked, ‘O Gabriel, who are these people?’ so he replied, ‘These are people who backbit about other people and disparaged their reputations.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 115; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 124
الترغيب والترهيب: قالَ رسولُ اللّه (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الغِيبَةُ أشَدُّ مِن الزِّنا، قيلَ: وكيفَ ؟ قالَ: الرجلُ يَزني ثُمّ يَتوبُ فَيَتُوبُ اللّهُ علَيهِ، وإنّ صاحِبَ الغِيبَةِ لايُغفَرُ لَهُ حتّى يَغفِرَ لَهُ صاحِبُهُ
Backbiting is worse than adultery’, at which he was asked, ‘How so?’ He replied, ‘A man commits adultery, then repents, and Allah pardons him for it, whereas the backbiter is not forgiven until his victim forgives him.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, v. 3, p. 511, no. 24] ; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 125
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الغِيبَةُ جُهدُ العاجِزِ
Backbiting is the attempt of one who is incapable [of doing better himself].
Amir al-Mu'minin Imām ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (a.s.)
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 461; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 125
الإمامُالحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لِرجُلٍ اغتابَ عِندَهُ رجُلاً ـ: يا هذا، كُفَّ عنِ الغِيبَةِ؛ فإنّها إدامُ كِلابِ النارِ
Imām Husayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) said to a man who was backbiting about a man in his presence, ‘Stop backbiting, for verily it is the food of the dogs of Hell.’
Imām Husayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a.s.)
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 245; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 125
الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا تَغتَبْ فتُغتَبُ، ولا تَحفِرْ لِأخِيكَ حُفرَةً فَتَقَعَ فيها ؛ فإنَّكَ كما تَدينُ تُدانُ
Do not backbite lest you become a victim of backbiting, and do not dig a hole for your brother lest you fall in it yourself, for you will be paid back whatever you put in.
Imām Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (a.s.)
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 249, no. 16; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 125
الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): قالَ رَجُلٌ لعليِّ بنِ الحسينِ ’: إنَّ فُلانا يَنسُبُكَ إلى أ نّكَ ضالٌّ مُبتدِعٌ ! فقالَ لَهُ عليُّ بنُ الحسينِ ’: مارَعَيتَ حقَّ مُجالَسَةِ الرجُلِ حيثُ نَقَلتَ إلَينا حَديثَهُ، ولا أدَّيتَ حَقِّي حيثُ أبلَغتَني عن أخي ما لَستُ أعلَمُهُ ! ... إيّاكَ والغِيبَةَ فإنّها إدامُ كِلابِ النارِ، وَاعلَمْ أنّ مَن أكثَرَ مِن ذِكرِ عُيوبِ الناسِ شَهِدَ علَيهِ الإكثارُ أ نّهُ إنّما يَطلُبُها بقَدرِ ما فيهِ
A man once came and told Ali b. al-Husayn (AS) [i.e. Imam Zayn al-Abidin], ‘Verily x has said that you are astray and that you are an innovator!’ So Ali b. al-Husayn (AS) said to him, ‘Neither have you observed the right of the man you sat with by transmitting to us what he spoke about, nor have you observed my right by informing me of something about my brother which I would not have known! … Beware of backbiting for verily it is the food of the dogs of Hell, and know that whoever frequently talks about people’s faults, the frequency of his backbiting is a witness [to the fact] that he only finds faults in others according to the extent present in himself.
Imām Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (a.s.)
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 246, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 125
رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الغِيبَةُ أسرَعُ في دِينِ الرجُلِ المُسلمِ مِن الآكِلَةِ في جَوفِهِ
Backbiting eats away at a man’s faith faster than a gangrenous sore can eat away to the inside.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 357, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 126
رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَنِ اغتابَ مُسلِماً أو مُسلمَةً لم يَقبَلِ اللّهُ صَلاتَهُ ولاصيامَهُ أربَعينَ يَوما ولَيلةً، إلّا أن يَغفِرَ لَهُ صاحِبُهُ.
Whoever backbites a fellow Muslim man or woman, Allah neither accepts his prayer nor his fasting for forty days and nights, until and unless the victim of his backbiting forgives him.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 258, no. 53; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 126
رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): يُؤتى بأحَدٍ يَومَ القِيامَةِ يُوقَفُ بينَ يَدَيِ اللّهِ ويُدفَعُ إلَيهِ كتابُهُ فلا يَرى حَسَناتِهِ، فيقولُ: إلهي، ليسَ هذا كتابِي! فإنّي لا أرى فيها طاعَتي؟! فيقالُ لَهُ: إنّ رَبَّكَ لايَضِلُّ ولايَنسى، ذَهَبَ عَمَلُكَ بِاغتِيابِ الناسِ. ثُمّ يُؤتى بآخَرَ ويُدفَعُ إلَيهِ كتابُهُ فَيَرى فيهِ طاعاتٍ كثيرَةً، فيقولُ: إلهي، ما هذا كتابِي! فإنّي ما عَمِلتُ هذهِ الطَّاعاتِ! فيقالُ: لأنَّ فلاناً اغتابَكَ فَدُفِعَت حَسَناتُهُ إلَيكَ
On the Day of Resurrection, a man will be brought forth to stand before Allah, and his book of deeds will be presented to him, and he will not see any of his good deeds therein, upon which he will exclaim, ‘My God, this is not my book! For verily I do not see any of my acts of obedience therein?!’ So he will be told, ‘Verily your Lord neither loses nor forgets [deeds], but your deeds have gone because of your backbiting people.’ Then another man will be brought forth, and will be presented his book of deeds, and he will see many acts of obedience recorded therein, and will exclaim, ‘My God, this is not my book! For verily I did not perform all these acts of obedience!’ and he will be told, ‘It is because so and so backbit you, so his deeds have been transferred to you.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Jami`a al-Akhbar, p. 412, no. 1144; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 126
رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ـ لأبي ذرّ ـ: .... يا أباذرٍّ، إيّاكَ والغِيبَةَ؛ فإنَّ الغِيبَةَ أشَدُّ مِن الزِّنا ... قلتُ: يارسولَ اللّهِ، وما الغِيبَةُ؟ قالَ: ذِكرُكَ أخاكَ بما يَكرَهُ، قلتُ: يارسولَ اللّهِ، فإن كانَ فيهِ ذاكَ الذي يُذكَرُ بهِ ؟ قالَ: اِعلَمْ أ نَّكَ إذا ذَكَرتَهُ بما هو فيهِ فقدِ اغتَبتَهُ، وإذا ذَكَرتَهُ بما ليسَ فيهِ فَقَد بَهَتَّهُ
O Abu Dharr, beware of backbiting, for verily backbiting is worse than adultery…’ [Abu Dharr narrates], I asked, ‘O Prophet of Allah, and what is backbiting?’ to which he replied, ‘Your mentioning something about your fellow brother that he would not like.’ I asked, ‘O Prophet of Allah, and what if the thing mentioned about him was actually true about him?’ so he replied, ‘Know that if you say something about him that is true then you have indeed backbit about him, and if you what you have said is not true, then you have indeed slandered him
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 89, no. 3; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 126
الترغيب والترهيب عن عَمرُو بن شُعَيبٍ ـ عن أبيهِ عن جدِّهِ ـ: أنّهم ذَكَرُوا عندَ رسولِ اللّهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) رجُلاً فقالوا: لا يَأكُلُ حتّى يُطعَمَ، ولا يَرحَلُ حتى يُرحَلَ لَهُ، فقالَ النبيُّ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): اغتَبتُمُوهُ، فقالوا: يا رسولَ اللّهِ، إنّما حَدَّثْنا بما فيهِ ! قال: حَسبُكَ إذا ذَكَرتَ أخاكَ بما فيهِ
It is bad enough to talk about your brother regarding what is true [let alone what is false]!
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, v. 3, p. 506, no. 13; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 127
الإمامُ الكاظمُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن ذَكَرَ رجُلاً مِن خَلفِهِ بما هُو فيهِ ممّا عَرَفَهُ الناسُ لم يَغتَبْهُ، ومَن ذَكَرَهُ مِن خَلفِهِ بما هُو فيهِ ممّا لايَعرِفُهُ الناسُ اغتابَهُ
He who talks about someone behind his back, mentioning what is true about him, and what people already know, then he has not backbit about him, whereas he who talks about someone behind his back about something that is true but that people do not know about, then he has backbit about him.
Imām Mūsā ibn Ja‘far al-Kāżim (a.s.)
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 358, no. 6; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 127
رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أربَعةٌ لَيست غِيبَتُهُم غِيبَةً: الفاسِقُ المُعلِنُ بِفِسقِهِ، والإمامُ الكَذّابُ إن أحسَنتَ لم يَشكُرْ وإن أسَأتَ لم يَغفِرْ، والمُتَفَكِّهونَ بالاُمَّهاتِ، والخارِجُ عنِ الجَماعَةِ الطاعِنُ على اُمَّتِي الشاهِرُ علَيها بسَيفِهِ
‘Four types of people are such that talking about them behind their backs is not considered backbiting: the immoral person who makes a public display of his immorality; the dishonest leader who, even if you were to be good to would not appreciate you and if you were to be bad to would not forgive you; those who joke about their [and others’] mothers; and one who is a dissenter, who defames my community, and draws his sword against it.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 261, no. 64; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 127
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): السامِعُ لِلغِيبَةِ كالمُغتابِ
The one who listens to backbiting is as [bad as] the backbiter.
Amir al-Mu'minin Imām ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (a.s.)
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1171; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 128
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ وقد نَظَرَ إلى رجُلٍ يَغتابُ رجُلاً عندَ ابنِهِ الحسنِ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ: يابُنَيَّ، نَزِّهْ سَمعَكَ عن مِثلِ هذا ؛ فإنّهُ نَظَرَ إلى أخبَثِ ما في وِعائهِ فَأفرَغَهُ في وِعائكَ
O my son, steer your hearing clear of such a person, for verily he took the most repulsive thing from his mind and poured it into yours!
Amir al-Mu'minin Imām ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (a.s.)
al-Ikhtisas, p. 225; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 128
الإمامُ زينُ العابدينَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): حقُّ السَّمعِ تَنزيهُهُ عن سَماعِ الغِيبَةِ، وسَماعِ ما لايَحِلُّ سَماعُهُ
The right of the ears is to keep them pure from listening to backbiting, and from that which is unlawful to listen to.
Imām `Alī ibn Husayn (a.s.)
al-Khisal, p. 566, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 128
رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن تَطَوَّلَ على أخِيهِ في غِيبةٍ سَمِعَها فيهِ في مَجلِسٍ فَرَدَّها عَنهُ، رَدَّ اللّهُ عَنهُ ألفَ بابٍ مِن السُّوءِ فِي الدنيا والآخِرَةِ
Whoever does a good service to his fellow brother by deterring people from talking behind his back in a gathering where he hears them backbiting him, Allah will repel from him a thousand types of evil in this world as well as in the Hereafter.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Amali al-Saduq, p. 350; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 128
رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن اُغتِيبَ عِندَهُ أخوهُ المسلمُ، فاستَطاعَ نَصرَهُ فلم يَنصُرْهُ، خَذَلَهُ اللّهُ فِي الدنيا والآخِرَةِ
He in whose presence a fellow Muslim brother is talked about behind his back, and who does not defend him despite having the ability to do so, Allah disgraces him in this world as well as in the Hereafter.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
al-Faqih, v. 4, p. 372; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 129
رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ـ وقد سُئلَ عن كَفّارَةِ الاغتِيابِ ـ: تَستَغفِرُ اللّهَ لِمَنِ اغتَبتَهُ كُلَّما ذَكَرتَهُ
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.) was asked about the penance for backbiting, to which he replied, ‘You must seek Allah’s forgiveness on behalf of the one you have talked about every time you remember him.’
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 357, no. 4; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 129
Muhammad bin Fuzail asked Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.), “May I be sacrificed for you! I have heard a bad thing about one of my brothers in faith. When I talked to that person about this thing, he flatly refused it. I was told about this from very reliable persons.” Imam (a.s.) replied, “Do not accept what you are told about your brother. Even if fifty persons tell you about this, swearing by Allah, then too you should reject it and believe that believer. Keep this matter secret for the fear that he would be disgraced if you don’t do so. See to it that his personality is not stained. If you don’t, you will be like those about whom Allah says: 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.” [Surah Nur 24:19]
Imām Mūsā ibn Ja‘far al-Kāżim (a.s.)
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 311
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “One who spreads scandal is like one who started it. One who hurts a believer in any way will not die until he has faced the same calamity.”
Imām Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (a.s.)
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 311
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his ancestors that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said that There are four kinds of people who will involve other inmates of Hell in their punishment. They will wail loudly after drinking boiling water. The people of Hell will ask: “What is the sin of these four types of people for they are given extra punishment in addition to that given to us? Their punishment is increasing our suffering also.” One of them would be hanging in a casket of fire, second will be drinking vomit and smoke, dirt and blood will be coming out of the mouth of the third and fourth will eat his own flesh continuously. The first one will be asked: “O one away from the mercy of Allah! What sin did you commit for which we have to suffer in addition to our own punishment?” He will reply, “I was having rights of others and I died without fulfilling them.” Then the person drinking smoke will be asked, “O one away from the mercy of Allah! What sin did you commit for which we have to suffer in addition to our own punishment?” He will reply, “The reason I am away from the mercy of Allah is that my body used to become impure with urine and I never cared about it.” Then the person whose mouth will have dirt and blood coming out will be asked, “O one away from the mercy of Allah! What sin did you commit for which we have to suffer in addition to our own punishment?” The person will reply, “I am away from the mercy of Allah because I used to spread scandals and publicize obscenity.” Then the person who is eating his own flesh will be asked, “O one away from the mercy of Allah! What sin did you commit for which we have to suffer in addition to our own punishment?” He will reply, “I used to eat the flesh of people by backbiting and used to slander.”
Imām Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (a.s.)
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 312/313
“If a brother in faith of a person is being backbited and the person helps his brother the Almighty Allah will help him in the world and hereafter. If a brother in faith of a person is being backbited and the person does not help his brother the Almighty Allah will disgrace him in his world and the hereafter.”
Imām Muhammad ibn ‘Alī al-Baqir (a.s.)
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 316
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his ancestors that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “One who backbites a believing warrior or hurts him or his family members, this deed will be stored at a place which will destroy all of his good deeds and he will be thrown headlong into Hell if the warrior was obedient to Allah.”
Imām Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq (a.s.)
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 323
رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الغِيبَةُ ذِكرُكَ أخاكَ بما يَكرَهُ
Backbiting is to say something about your brother that he would not like.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 8024; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 127
رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): حتّى مَتى تَرعَوُونَ عن ذِكرِ الفاجِرِ؟! اِهتِكُوهُ حتّى يَحذَرَهُ الناسُ
Until when will you sidestep talking about the impudent person?! Disgrace him [through disclosing his insolent acts] so that people may be on their guard against him.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 8074; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 128
رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إذا اغتابَ أحَدُكُم أخاهُ فلْيَستَغفِرِ اللّهَ ؛ فإنَّها كفّارَةٌ لَهُ
When one of you backbites about his fellow brother, he must seek forgiveness from Allah for that is penance for it.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 8037; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 129
الغَيْبَةُ ذِكْرُكَ أخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ.
Backbiting is to mention your brother’s name in connection with what he hates.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Nahj al Fasahah; Tradition No. 255; Page No. 42
لَيْسَ لِفَاسِقٍ غَيْبَةٌ.
Backbiting the wicked is permissible.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Nahj al Fasahah; Tradition No. 256; Page No. 42
لا تَغْتابُوا المُسْلِمينَ وَلا تَتَّبِعُوا عَوْرَاتِهِمْ.
Do not backbite Muslims and do not try to discover their faults.
Holy Prophet Muhammad al Mustafā (s.a.w.w.)
Nahj al Fasahah; Tradition No. 463; Page No. 68
