Assalamualaikum!This is a short story with fictional characters…

… but based on

the Qur’an and

authentic Ahadith

of the Prophetsaw

Average viewing

time: 5 minutes

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Assalamualaikum, dear brothers and sisters in Islam!

My name is Majid and there’s something I recently learned that I’d like to share with all of you.

You see, I was visiting my friend Saleh last week and…

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And how’s your business running, Majid?

Well, it’s not going all too well…

I understand, it’s the economic recession…

Well, that too but the real cause of the problem is my business partner, Mahmud! He is a lazy, good-for-nothing man – I now regret my decision to enter into a partnership with him!

What seems to be the problem? Have you tried talking to him about it?

What’s the point? He’s not bothered with keeping up with his part of the deal and it’s incurring us losses. I find him asleep at his desk whenever I visit the office!

Majid, you must talk over these matters with him.

I did talk to him once and he said some family concerns were occupying his mind. But it’s been months now and he doesn’t get his lazy self out of the office to check on the work in progress!

Something must be wrong…

Yes – a heavy breakfast, an early lunch and no intention to work for progress – that’s what’s wrong with him!

Majid, I understand your concern for your business, but I must also advise you to be cautious with your words…

Why? He isn’t here so why do I need to be cautious?

Precisely. He isn’t here, which is why we must be careful of the manner in which we talk about him.

You don’t mean ‘backbiting’, do you? But this isn’t backbiting… I’m telling you the truth about Mahmud – nothing wrong with that.

Brother, Alhamdolillah, we are Muslims and it is our duty to uphold a person’s honor in his presence as well as in his absence.

Yes, but as I said, I’m not lying about him – that’s just the kind of person he is!

Actually, the Prophetsaw clearly defined Gheebah, or backbiting, in a well known Hadith…

The Messengersaw of Allah said: “Do you know what backbiting is?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”

Hesaw then said, “It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike.”

Someone asked him, “But what if what I say is true?”

The Messengersaw of Allah said, “If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him.” (Sahih Muslim)

Speaking the truth is also backbiting? Are you sure?

These are not my words but the words of Allah’s Messengersaw, whom Allahswt sent to us as a complete role model.

I never thought of it that way. Now I recall that there is an ayah in the Qur’an about backbiting… but I don’t remember it exactly…

Yes, that’s an ayah from Surah Al Hujurat – about spying and backbiting where Allahswt

says…

O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some

suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another.

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

would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh

is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.

Surah Al Hujurat: 12

Yes, that’s the one. Subhaan Allah, I would never have thought of correlating that ayah to what I say about Mahmud!

But what if I go and tell Mahmud what I am saying to you right now? That’s not backbiting, is it? He would know what I said about him…

That is true, it would not be hidden from him but how would that make him feel?

Well… I don’t know…I mean, he has his faults so he cannot expect to be let off without any harm… he’s practically asking for it!

I wonder, brother, which one of us is free of faults? We all have weaknesses and we dislike others to know about them.

Well, yes…

How would I feel if a particularly bad habit of mine was spread among the people? I wouldn’t know how to face those people.

Then what must one do? We talk about people all the time, we joke about it… we really don’t mean any harm.

Brother, in our open and unchecked discussions, we have much to lose. Indeed, Allahswt has said about a group of gossip mongers in the Qur’an…

When you were propagating it with your tongues, and

uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no

knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allâh it

was very great. Surah An-Noor: 15

What Saleh was an eye-opener but it made perfect sense. Backbiting and slander can really harm relationships. I wish I could continue the story but it’s time for Asr salah in my part of the world.

I’ll just leave you with this ayah from the Qur’an that’s a great motivation to avoid backbiting and abusing people…

The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal.

Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allâh

ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time

of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly),

then verily! he, between whom and you there was

enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.

Surah Fussilat: 34

May Allah reward you for

listening intently and

may He guide you to

what is best in His Deen!

If you have any comments or suggestions, please visit www.beautifulconduct.wordpress.com and let us knowInshaa Allah!

Assalamualaikum

!