Ghibah Explained
Ghibah (Arabic: الغيبة) is backbiting as understood in Islam. It is generally regarded as a major sin in Islam and compared in the Qur'an to 'the abomination of eating the flesh of a dead brother'.
Quran
There are two verses in the Quran about backbiting. Verse 12 of Surah Al-Hujurat says:
Verse 148 of Surah Al-Nisa says:
Hadith
The hadith defines backbiting and generally advises muslims not to do it about other muslims and not to publicize and keep secrets (كتمان الاسرار, kitma'n al-asra'r) of others.[1]
Scope of validity
Based on the mentioned second verse and some reliable hadiths[2] Islamic jurists including Al-Nawawi in his book Gardens of the Righteous have declared backbiting in 6 cases to be valid -
- and seeking justice against a tyrant ruler or oppressor
- seeking a solution to a problem from a judicial person or someone reliable,
- exposing religious errors while propagating Islam,
- about a person engaged in openly persistent deadly sins or Bid'ah which harm people,
- warning someone of danger and harm in case of marriage, business and contract, and
- defining one's characteristic with the popular negative traits without which he can not be recognised easily.[3]
See also
Notes and References
- News: অন্যের দোষ গোপন রাখার পুরস্কার . 22 January 2024 . dmpnews.org . Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
- Book: Nawawi . Imam . Riyad As Salihin: The Gardens of the Righteous . 2014 . Tughra Books . 978-1-59784-680-6 . Quote 1539, 40, 41, 42, 43 . 22 January 2024 . ar.
- Book: Abdul-Rahman . Muhammad Saed . Islam: Questions and Answers - The Heart Softeners (Part 1) . 2003 . MSA Publication Limited . 978-1-86179-328-7 . 278 . 22 January 2024 . en.
