Slandering and Talking behind the Back of Others is a Sin

Slandering and talking behind the back of others is considered a sin if the person talked about is not pleased with the things said.

When it is a sin to talk behind other’s back?

1. The person talked about is not present.

2. The thing talked about is a flaw.

3. This flaw is a hidden one.

4. The person talked about becomes upset if he hears those words.

5. The speaker’s aim is to reproach the person he or she is talking about.

Let’s think about the instance of a person who does not say his prayers. Such a person does not say his prayers because of two reasons:

A) He does not say his prayers, he does not care about it, and he even recommends others to be like him.

Talking behind the back of such a person is not a sin, as the person causes it with his behaviour. According to Prophet Muhammad, “It is not a sin to talk behind the back of a person who knows no shame.”‌

B) He does not say his prayers, but he is upset about it, he does not want people to know about it, and he has plans to make up for his mistake.

Talking behind the back of such a person is a sin and it might even cause him to continue the wrong deed because of his pride.

Another point is that people sometimes talk about others, without trying to humiliate or reproach them. They might just want to fix what is wrong. Like a medical committee that talk about the hidden problems of a patient in order to find a solution or a treatment.

Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi

Other links:

Backbiting= Eating the flesh of your dead brother

Backbiting is prohibited in Islam

Why Backbiting is considered a great sin?

Reasonable Grounds of Backbiting

Treatment and Penance of Backbiting