Al-Hujuraat (The Inner Apartments)

12. O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not [on others], neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? By no means, [since] you would hate it. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.

Resuming the discussion raised in the preceding Verse, the blessed Verse in question treats of factors perturbing the peace and brotherhood amongst believers among which mention may be made of suspicion, prying, and backbiting. It is worthy of note that the Holy Qur’an recommends believers to entertain good intentions toward others and refrain from entertaining suspicion about others.

The Arabic word ghayba designates talking behind someone’s back without people being aware of the same and it happens to be offensive to the person being backbitten.

The blessed Verse in question opens with:

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins.”

The word suspicion (dann) ad hoc refers to bad opinions exceed good ones amongst people, hence reference to them by ‘much’ (kathir); whereas forming good opinions about others is good rather than bad.

It is worthy of note that forming many suspicions is forbidden, but the blessed Verse is expounding that ‘certain’ suspicions are sins; the reason behind the same might be the fact that certain bad opinions are true hence the expression;

“Indeed some suspicions are sins.”

Thus, committing such sin suffices to make man refrain from all such instances.

A question arises here as to forbidding involuntary good and bad opinions formed in mind consequent to a series of preliminary assumptions beyond human volition reflected in mind. Such forbidding applies to the sequence of acts; in other words, when one entertains a bad opinion about a Muslim in his mind, he is not supposed to pay the least attention to it in practice, nor should he make any alterations in his attitude and relations with him.

Thus, acting upon the bad opinion or suspicion is considered as a sin. Consequently, it is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S) that three things are unpleasant in Muslims and there exists a way out of them one of which being suspicion whose way out is to desist from acting upon it.¹ Man may contemplate different issues and thereby abstain from forming bad opinions about others.

Thus, he may reflect upon true alternatives and possibilities concerning the same and overcome forming bad opinions in time. Therefore, forming bad opinions is not at all times beyond human will. According to traditions, one has to form the best possible opinion concerning the deeds committed by his brethren unless the opposite be substantiated.

One is not supposed to form bad opinions regarding the words uttered by his Muslim brethren so long as one may find a favorable justification for the same.

The Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) said:

“Interpret the deeds of your brother in the best possible manner such that what he does pleases you. Do not form bad opinions about the words uttered by your brother as far as you may find good justification in them?”

At any rate, the Islamic injunction is question is one of the most comprehensive and well-measured injunctions in the domain of social relations perfectly guaranteeing security in society. In other words, taking into account all aspects of the issue, the Islamic faith aims at the security of people in their personal lives. It is evident that if anyone is allowed to pry into other people’s affairs, he may bring disgrace to them and all individuals of the society will live in hell.

It is needless to say that such injunction is by no means inconsistent with the activities carried out by the intelligence systems of the Islamic government against conspiracies, assassinations, bloodshed, and arson.

According to the third and the last injunction which is the consequent of the twain preceding injunctions, the blessed Verse in question reads:

“And spy not [on others], neither backbite one another.”

Therefore, forming bad opinions leads to prying and exposing the defects and secrets of others and such knowledge results in backbiting whose causes and effects are all forbidden in Islam.

The blessed Verse in question thus clearly depicts the evil resulting from such act:

“Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?”

The blessed Verse further adds:

“By no means, [since] you would hate it.”

The honor of a Muslim brother is likened to the flesh of his dead body and putting him into disgrace leads to backbiting and exposing secrets is similar to consumption of his flesh. Making mention of ‘dead body’ is owing to the fact that backbiting is done behind people’s back in the same manner that the dead are unable to defend themselves.

Such evil act is the most dishonorable wrong which may be done by one human against his own brother. The similitude expresses the extraordinary unpleasantness of the act of backbiting and its entailing sin.

As it will be mentioned hereunder, backbiting receives significant treatment in Islamic traditions and few sins are on a par with it, since it sows rancor and enmity in hearts and at times entails bloody conflicts, murder, and massacre.

Since there may exists sinners having committed these three sins and intend to compensate for their sins upon hearing these blessed Verses, the Verse in question further adds:

“And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.”

The point is that the spirit of fearing God Almighty is to be invigorated and then the sinner is supposed to repent from having committed sins so that Divine Mercy and Favor may embrace him.

Like many repugnant qualities, backbiting in time turns into mental disorder such that backbiters derive pleasure from their blameworthy acts and find satisfaction in disgracing others. It constitutes a quite perilous repugnant attribute. Thus, one may absolve his soul of such impurities through improving one’s self and reflecting upon the evil consequences springing from them and thereby one may refrain from committing the sin of backbiting.

Then, one may repent and since backbiting entails trampling human right (haqq al-nas), it is incumbent upon him to offer him his apologies even in terse expressions, like, owing to ignorance, he slandered him behind his back and demands forgiveness.

It should be born in mind, however, that one has to desist from offering apologies if he finds out that it may lead to further problems and adverse consequences. In case the victim of backbiting is not available or he is not known or he has deceased, the sinner is supposed to ask forgiveness for him and embark upon doing righteous good deeds so that God Almighty may forgive him and gain the satisfaction of the victim.

Finally, like any other injunction, that of backbiting has certain exceptions. It may be committed for consultation; for instance it may aim at choosing a spouse, business partner, and colleague.

Confidentiality in providing consultation is a certain Islamic precept necessitating that the defects of the person are to be expressed, lest a Muslim may be ensnared and talking behind someone’s back for this purpose does not involve committing unlawful acts. The same rule applies when significant goals are involved instances of which include like those of consultation or reclaiming the rights and wrongs.

One who openly commits sins and is notorious for debauchery (mutajahir bi-’l fisq) is an exception to the rule and mentioning his sins behind his back does not involve committing sins, though it should be borne in mind that such rule solely applies to those who are notorious for debauchery. For other instances, one should consult the relevant chapters in hadith sources.

It is also worthy of note that besides committing the sin of backbiting, listening to the same or attending sessions in which people are being slandered behind their back are also unlawful. According to a number of traditions, it is incumbent upon Muslims to reject backbiting, i.e. they are supposed to defend the honor of their Muslim brother.

It would be so pleasant to live in a society in which such moral precepts are precisely acted upon. In this respect, a number of traditions will be cited hereunder.

The Noble Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Three persons will not be admitted to Paradise: reminder of past favors done to others, slanderer talking behind other people’s back, drinker of alcoholic beverages.”2

It is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S):

“Abstaining from backbiting is dearer to God Almighty than establishing ten thousand units of recommendable prayers.”3

It is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S):

“The expiation for the victim of backbiting is to ask God Almighty to forgive him.”4

It is narrated on the authority of Abu ‘Abd Allah [Imam Sadiq] (as) from the Messenger of God (S):

“Whoever believes in God Almighty and the Day of Judgment is not supposed to attend a session in which a certain Imam or leader is slandered or a Muslim is the victim of backbiting.”5

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“One who listens to backbiting is a culprit of the backbiter.”6

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Backbiting, slandering, and telling lies lead to torment of the grave.”7

It is narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad [Imam Sadiq] (as):

“Paradise is ordained to one who abstains from backbiting, anger, and envy.”8

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Abstain from envy, anger, and backbiting and maintain brotherhood O God’s servants.”9

It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as):

“It is unlawful for Muslims to backbite. Verily, in the like manner that fire consumes firewood, backbiting consumes good deeds and qualities.”10

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Leave the deceased alone and abstain from reiterating their vices. Talk about the good qualities of the deceased.”11

Imam Ridha (as) narrates from Imam Sajjad that whoever refrains from disgracing Muslims, God Almighty will ignore his faults.²

According to traditions, one who pries into his brethren’s faults [and talks about the same with others] God Almighty will expose his vices.³

According to a tradition, sitting at a mosque waiting for congregation prayer so long as it does not involve backbiting is regarded as worship of God Almighty.⁴

In his last sermon in Medina, the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) said:

“Backbiting invalidates fasting.”

In other words, one who backbites is deprived of the spiritual and religious merits of the fasting.⁵