What should I do about my mother's recurring backbiting, and is it sufficient to condemn it in my heart or sometimes to verbally caution her? Is it obligatory to seek forgiveness from everyone I have backbitten, or is it sufficient to pray for their forgiveness with a general supplication such as: "O Allah, forgive everyone I have backbitten"? Is there a better form of supplication, and is forgiveness all that should be prayed for?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The listener to backbiting is a partner in sin, and it is obligatory to denounce the backbiter gently. Denouncing by heart is not sufficient. Mentioning what happened with a specific person to someone who does not know him is not considered backbiting. The expiation for backbiting is by supplicating and seeking forgiveness if there is harm in seeking absolution from the one who was backbitten.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/155405
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 155405
- 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