Do we realize the severity of our sin when we GOSSIP?

Asalaam alykum wa ramatollhi wa barakatuhu,



unlike a big sin like fornicating..gossiping takes no thought beforehand, it can just slip out of our mouthes without us thinking..it is so easy to do...Astaghfirullah



I post this so you are aware of how it wipes out ALL our good deeds in an instant - it's a bit long, but please read, very beneficial [and a reminder to some that we should stop talking badly (no matter what they've done) about our brothers and sisters in real life and on Y!A..a reminder directed 2 myself first before anyone else

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Rasoolullah said, “A man might speak a word without thinking about its implications, but because of it, he will plunge into the Hell-Fire further than the distance between the east and west” (narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).



In Islam, we are prohibited from gossiping about someone behind their back if it is something disliked to that person. You may ask, what if we are speaking the truth? If one is speaking the truth about someone behind their back, then this is backbiting and it is dispicable. If one is speaking falsehood about someone behind their back, then this is slander, something even worse.



Kab al-Ahbar said: “Backbiting nullifies a person’s good deeds.”



Not only is backbiting considered a sin in Islam, but it is considered a major sin by the consensus of scholars considering the implications mentioned about in the Quran and Sunnah. The Quranic verses dealing with backbiting include:



1.“O you who believe! Let not some men among you deride others who may be better than they (are), nor let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Evil is a bad name after faith.” (Surat Hujurat, 49:11)

2.“O you who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor that. And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” (Surat Hujurat, 49:12)

3.“Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger; detractor, going about with slander.” (Surat Qalam, 68:10-11)

4.“Woe to every sneering defamer.” (Surat Humaza, 104:1)

Sneering can be considered defamation by actions (instead of words). Sneering can include actions as small as even rolling one’s eyes. Furthermore, Surat Humaza (The Transducer) is dedicated to answering those that gossip about others. Therefore, as Muslims, it is a duty incumbent upon us to safeguard our mouths from saying anything we would regret later on.



Muadh ibn Jabal (ra) asked Rasoolullah (SAW) to inform him of some good work that would admit him into

Paradise and distance him from the Hell-Fire. Rasoolullah (SAW) mentioned to him the virtues of many good deeds, then said: “Shall I inform you of the foundation of all of that?”

Muadh said: “Certainly.”

Rasoolullah (SAW) took hold of his own tongue and said: “Restrain yourself from this.”

Muadh then asked: “O Rasoolullah! Are we held to task for the things that we say?”

Rasoolullah (SAW) replied: “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Muadh! Does anything topple people headlong into the Hell-Fire save the harvests of their tongues?” (narrated by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)



Rasoolullah (SAW) said, “One of the greatest of the major sins is to stretch out one’s tongue without right against the honor of a Muslim” (narrated by Abu Dawud).



Aisha (ra) relates that she said to Rasoolullah (SAW), “It should tell you enough about Safiyyah that she is short.”

To this Rasoolullah (SAW) replied, “You have said a word that if it was to be mixed with the water of the sea, it would contaminate it” (narrated by Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud).



The hadith above shows the seriousness of backbiting. The one sentence Aisha mentioned about Safiyyah was serious enough to contaminate something as large as the ocean. Therefore, we should consider how much we have contaminated our small ponds of good deeds versus the oceans of good deeds the Sahaba had obtained.



Two Companions once criticized a man who had been punished for committing adultery.

Rasoolullah (SAW) was traveling and he passed by the carcass of a donkey.

Rasoolullah (SAW) said, “Where are those two people? Get down and eat from the flesh of this donkey!”

They said, “O Rasoolullah, who would eat this?”

Rasoolullah (SAW) said: “What the two of you have recently done by defaming the honor of your brother is far worse than eating from this” (narrated by Abu Dawud).



The punishment for backbiting includes repaying those who we backbite.

Rasoolullah (SAW) asked the Sahaba, “Do you know who is bankrupt?”

They responded, “The person among us who is bankrupt is the one who possesses neither money nor provision.”

Rasoolullah (SAW) answered, “The one who is bankrupt from among my followers isDo we realize the severity of our sin when we GOSSIP?
Wa Alaikum Salam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh

Yes gossip is horrible and something we should all avoid, yet it is so easy to fall into. Not only is it a sin but it is hurtful to those involved.



If you have time here is a short video(only 56 seconds) but shows what backbitting is like in a litteral sense.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RchDgZfu2…



The Arabic in the video is this ayah



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 Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful. 49:12



Yeah Allah keep us away from such fitnah. Ameen



And Allah knows bestDo we realize the severity of our sin when we GOSSIP?
Jazak Allah Khair for sharing :) It was nice of you to share, and I hope that all the Muslims here take heed before they are sorry.



Take Care.
Jajakallah kahir sister,



I kw...... backbiting is Haram.



But, MasAllah, u explained a lot hereeeeeeee....



May Allah keep all of us away from all kinds of sin......



Allah Hafizzz



Kul Innal Fadla Be Yadillahi. Utihi Myasaw. Oallahu Oasiun Alimun Yaktacu Birahmatihi Myasaw Oallahu Jul Fadlil Azeem.
you must be a man, because men don't understand the value of gossip