How can one deal with a rumor circulating in a military unit that describes a sergeant as "khunath" (effeminate/homosexual), negatively affecting his reputation and life, especially since he is married with children, 33 years old, and swears by his innocence of this accusation?

Despite the tongue's danger, it is confined within the mouth, yet it can lead its owner to sin or disbelief, as Allah Almighty says: (Not a word does he utter but there is a Raaqib (watcher) and an Atid (ready witness) by him).

Slandering people's honor is among the major sins due to the calumny, false accusation, and backbiting involved. 1. Calumny (Buhtan): This is false accusation and inventing lies, mentioning about your brother what is not true about him. 2. False Accusation (Qadhf): This is one of the major sins, for which the punishment is eighty lashes, and the testimony of the accuser is never accepted; he is considered a transgressor (fasiq). There is a consensus that the ruling for falsely accusing a chaste man is the same as for falsely accusing a chaste woman. 3. Backbiting (Gheebah): This is mentioning about your brother what he dislikes, and it is forbidden and among the major sins. It is not permissible to sit with those who backbite.

It is advisable to defend oneself by exonerating oneself and demonstrating the falsehood of the slanderers, and demanding that the prescribed punishment be carried out against them. Silence may confirm the truth of their words. It is permissible for a person to clear himself of what has been lied about him in front of people so that the public knows the untruth of what was said about him, and his reputation is cleared, and his honor is protected from lies. Otherwise, people would believe what was attributed to him.