Is the repentance of one who accused people of falsehoods, based on what he heard about them, accepted? And is it a condition to apologize to them, along with beginning repentance and seeking forgiveness, especially if he is far away from them?

It is not permissible to speak about people without knowledge, for Allah says: "When you received it with your tongues and spoke with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge, and you thought it a trivial matter, while with Allah it was enormous." Sincere repentance and guarding the tongue are obligatory. There is a difference of opinion regarding the necessity of seeking forgiveness from those who have been backbitten. Many scholars believe that seeking Allah's forgiveness for them and mentioning them in a good light is sufficient. By doing so, there is hope for the acceptance of repentance, forgiveness from Allah, and the answering of prayers.