Speech and Backbiting
338 questions
How can one deal with a mother who frequently slanders her son's wife, knowing that the wife has been patient for five years and has now reached the point of seeking divorce, while also considering the husband's fear of displeasing his mother?
Is criticizing the opinions of others – perhaps extending to criticizing the person and their creed in their absence – considered backbiting (gheebah) and slander (nameemah), and what are the consequences thereof?
Is hearing news related to someone's character, without delving into it or commenting on it, considered backbiting and an affront to people's honor, and if so, what should the listener do to atone for this sin?
Does repeating speech about a person in their presence, after speaking about them in their absence with the same characteristic, remove the sin of backbiting (ghibah)?
Is ridiculing the beliefs of innovators—even if they pertain to a part of Islam (such as prayer)—considered major disbelief (kufr akbar), knowing that the intention is to ridicule the innovators and not Islam itself?
ما هو التصرف الإسلامي السليم إذا أخبرني شخص قريب أنه يعرف عن زوجتي أمراً سيئاً شاهدها عليه قبل زواجنا، وأردت التأكد من هذا الكلام؟
What is the ruling on backbiting as a joke among friends, knowing that the one being backbitten does not dislike it?
How can one reconcile the obligation to maintain ties of kinship with the necessity of avoiding backbiting, slander, and hurting feelings, especially when gatherings of relatives are not free of these Sharia violations, knowing that advice is of no avail? And is it permissible to avoid these gatherings to avoid sin, even if that is considered severing ties of kinship?
Does a wife's relaying to her husband general, non-private conversations of her friends about their life matters, such as their vacation plans, constitute backbiting that falls under the ruling of the noble verse: "Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it"?
Is it permissible to exaggerate in praising oneself and joking about it with friends by saying "I am a scholar" or "deeply knowledgeable" with the intention of laughter, knowing that everyone is aware of this?
Is conveying happy or sad news to others considered gheebah (backbiting) or nameemah (slander), and what is the correct approach to improve social relationships and avoid misunderstanding with female friends?
Is a sister's words about her friend, who did not inform her of her marriage, considered backbiting (gheebah), and is seeking forgiveness (istighfar) and repentance (tawbah) sufficient to erase the sin of backbiting, and what is the interpretation of the "bankrupt person" hadith in this context?
Is narrating amusing stories about some people or about personalities such as Juha, who is said to be among the Tabi'in, considered backbiting (Gheebah)?
Is it permissible to ask one's mother about an important matter—which appears to be negative—that happened to one's cousin (son of the maternal aunt), and would that be considered backbiting (gheebah)?
Is it a sin to reject a suitor because of his appearance or financial status?
What is the ruling on marrying off a young man who does not pray, in the hope that his condition will improve, and is it obligatory to inform the wife's family of this after the marriage contract, and what is the ruling on accepting financial assistance from the husband to complete this marriage?
There is a disagreement concerning the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, about two people being tormented, one for not being careful about urine and the other for backbiting. The disagreement revolves around whether the Prophet saw the torment with his own eyes or whether Allah Almighty informed him of it. The opinion of the companion is that the Prophet saw it with his own eyes, arguing that animals see torment, while the other opinion is that Allah informed him of it because the Hadith did not mention the Prophet seeing the torment.
Is it considered backbiting to mention a true story without naming individuals?
What is the ruling on a husband's mother participating in backbiting her son's wife based on the mother's incitement, and what is the expiation for this sin?
Is it permissible to publish videos that involve asking passersby about a song, then surprising them by requesting them to recite a surah from the Quran, given their inability to recite, and is this considered an assault on people's honor (hatk al-a'rad) and backbiting (gheebah)?
What is the ruling of the Sharia concerning dealing with a mother who has committed adultery and given birth to children out of wedlock, and who mistreats her righteous son, his wife, and his grandchild, and slanders people's honor? Is it permissible for the son to expose these matters to official authorities or to his mother's children born out of wedlock?
Are the aforementioned reasons—such as housing disputes, the wife's backbiting, her false accusation against the husband's father, and her family's unreasonable demands and threats—considered legitimate grounds for divorce in Islamic law?
When is it permissible to speak about a Muslim in their absence without it being considered backbiting?
What is the ruling on someone who speaks ill of people in their absence, claiming to be doing good and that Allah knows best the intentions, and what is backbiting and how can one get rid of it, and is a person sinful if their mother is the one who does that?