Peace be upon you. I always try to be mindful of my words so that I do not backbite anyone, due to the negative effects and consequences of backbiting. However, there are times when I say something without realizing it, and I later question myself whether it was backbiting or not. What is the criterion or how can I determine if the words were backbiting or not?
[AR_ID:786]
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.
Sayyid Sistani: Backbiting a believer is mentioning a hidden flaw about them in their absence, whether with the intention of belittling them or not, and whether the flaw is related to their body, lineage, character, actions, words, religion, worldly affairs, or anything else that is a hidden flaw. There is no difference in mentioning it whether by word or by an action that indicates the existence of the flaw. Backbiting is specific to situations where there is a listener intended to understand and be informed, or something equivalent to that. It must also specify the person being backbitten; for example, saying, 'One of the people in the town is cowardly' is not backbiting, nor is saying, 'One of Zayd's sons is cowardly.' However, it may be prohibited due to the necessity of humiliation and belittlement, not due to backbiting itself.
Source: Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 1, Issue 30.
Sayyid Khamenei: Backbiting is mentioning a hidden and concealed flaw of a Muslim in their absence with the intention of condemnation and belittlement.
Source: Official website.
For more details about backbiting, you can refer to the following question: