Is mentioning someone negatively for what they are, in order to advise those close to me to stay away from them, considered backbiting? Or when I am asked about them and I mention the bad things they did to me? Or criticizing others in their absence, such as criticizing politicians?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Backbiting is forbidden, but it is permissible out of religious necessity. This includes: seeking redress, identification, warning, disclosing open wickedness, for the one seeking a , and for one who seeks assistance in removing an evil. It is permissible to mention a person's faults with the intention of advising others, or to mention their wrongdoing against you. As for criticizing others in their absence without a legitimate religious benefit, it is either backbiting (if what is mentioned about them is true) or slander (if it is not true), and there is no difference in this regard between a politician and anyone else.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/128323
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 128323
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy