Akhlaq
Backbiting, gossip and kind words
The Qur'an likens backbiting to eating your dead brother's flesh.
3 min, Intro, Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
Part 1 of 3
The Qur'an forbids spying and backbiting, and asks: would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? The Prophet defined backbiting as saying something true about someone that they would dislike.
Qur'an 49:12
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱجۡتَنِبُواْ كَثِيرࣱا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعۡضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثۡمࣰۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُواْ وَلَا يَغۡتَب بَّعۡضُكُم بَعۡضًاۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمۡ أَن يَأۡكُلَ لَحۡمَ أَخِيهِ مَيۡتࣱا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوهُۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابࣰ رَّحِيمࣰ ١٢
12 O you who believe, avoid much of the suspicion, for some suspicions are sin. Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely abhor it. So fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Accepting of Repentance, Most Merciful.
A long ayah: scroll within the card.
Lesson
In this definition, a hurtful truth is still backbiting, and a hurtful falsehood is slander.
Part 2 of 3
Backbiting is one way words do harm. Passing on rumours is another. The Qur'an says: if someone unreliable brings you news, verify it, lest you harm people out of ignorance. A rule written for rumours in Madinah fits forwarded messages today.
Qur'an 49:6
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن جَآءَكُمۡ فَاسِقُۢ بِنَبَإࣲ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْ أَن تُصِيبُواْ قَوۡمَۢا بِجَهَٰلَةࣲ فَتُصۡبِحُواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلۡتُمۡ نَٰدِمِينَ ٦
6 O you who believe, if an evildoer brings you some news, verify it, lest you harm a people unknowingly, then you become regretful for what you did.
Lesson
The Qur'an's rule for news from an unreliable source: verify it first.
Part 3 of 3
Words can harm, and they can also do good. The Qur'an compares a good word to a good tree, its roots firm and branches in the sky. The Prophet said a good word is charity: speak good, or stay silent.
Qur'an 14:24
أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلࣱا كَلِمَةࣱ طَيِّبَةࣱ كَشَجَرَةࣲ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصۡلُهَا ثَابِتࣰ وَفَرۡعُهَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ ٢٤
24 Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky,
Lesson
In the Prophet's teaching, a kind word counts as charity.
Reflect, just for you
Seen by lamplight. It gives more each time.
The Qur'an likens backbiting to eating your dead brother's flesh.