What Is the Difference Between Backbiting, Gossip, and Slander?
قال تعالى: (وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا) الحجرات 49: 12، ما الفرق بين الغيبة والنميمة والبهتان؟
Almighty Allah says: "nor backbite one another". What is the difference between backbiting, gossip and slander?
The answer defines the three: backbiting is mentioning a Muslim in his absence with something that is in him which he dislikes, slander is mentioning him with what is not in him, which is lying, and gossip is carrying speech between people to set them against each other.
The Quran explicitly commands believers to avoid speaking ill of one another. Understanding the exact definitions of these destructive habits is the first step toward purifying the tongue and protecting the honor of others.
The Three Forbidden Forms of Speech
1. Backbiting (Gheebah)
Backbiting is mentioning a Muslim in his absence with something that is in him which he dislikes being spread or mentioned.
2. Slander (Buhtan)
Slander is mentioning a Muslim with what is not in him, which is lying about him.
3. Gossip (Namimah)
Gossip is carrying speech from one party to another to set them against each other.
قال تعالى "ولا يغتب بعضكم بعضا". ما الفرق بين الغيبة والنميمة والبهتان؟
يعرف الجواب الثلاثة: الغيبة ذكر المسلم في غيبته بما فيه مما يكره، والبهتان ذكره بما ليس فيه وهو الكذب عليه، والنميمة نقل الكلام بين الناس للإيقاع بينهم.
يأمر القرآن الكريم المؤمنين صراحة بتجنب الحديث بسوء عن بعضهم البعض. وفهم التعريفات الدقيقة لهذه العادات المدمرة هو الخطوة الأولى نحو تطهير اللسان وحماية أعراض الآخرين.
الآفات الثلاث للسان
1. الغيبة
الغيبة هي ذكر المسلم في غيبته بما فيه يكره نشره وذكره.
2. البهتان
البهتان هو ذكر المسلم بما ليس فيه وهو الكذب في القول عليه.
3. النميمة
النميمة هي نقل الكلام من طرف لآخر للإيقاع بينهما.
1. Like Eating the Flesh of a Dead Brother | كأكل لحم الأخ ميتا
Allah says: do not backbite one another; would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And fear Allah; Allah accepts repentance and is Merciful (Al-Hujurat 49:12). The verse makes backbiting as repugnant as eating a dead brother's flesh, and ends by opening the door of repentance.
وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ (سورة الحجرات: 12)
قال الله تعالى: ولا يغتب بعضكم بعضا، أيحب أحدكم أن يأكل لحم أخيه ميتا فكرهتموه، واتقوا الله إن الله تواب رحيم (الحجرات 49:12). فشبه الغيبة بأكل لحم الأخ الميت تنفيرا منها، وختم الآية بفتح باب التوبة.
2. The Prophet's Definition | التعريف النبوي
The Prophet asked: Do you know what backbiting is? They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: Your mentioning your brother with what he dislikes. It was said: What if what I say is in my brother? He said: If what you say is in him, you have backbitten him, and if it is not in him, you have slandered him (Sahih Muslim 2589). Allah says that those who harm believing men and women for what they did not earn bear slander and a clear sin (Al-Ahzab 33:58).
وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا (سورة الأحزاب: 58)
قال النبي ﷺ: "أتدرون ما الغيبة؟" قالوا: الله ورسوله أعلم، قال: "ذكرك أخاك بما يكره"، قيل: أفرأيت إن كان في أخي ما أقول؟ قال: "إن كان فيه ما تقول فقد اغتبته، وإن لم يكن فيه فقد بهته" (صحيح مسلم 2589). وقال تعالى: والذين يؤذون المؤمنين والمؤمنات بغير ما اكتسبوا فقد احتملوا بهتانا وإثما مبينا (الأحزاب 33:58).
3. Gossip and the Punishment of the Grave | النميمة وعذاب القبر
The Prophet passed by two graves and said: They are being punished, and not for something they saw as great; yet it is great: one of them did not protect himself from his urine, and the other used to go about spreading gossip (Sahih al-Bukhari 216). He also said: No one who spreads gossip will enter Paradise (Sahih Muslim 105). Allah warns against obeying the slanderer who goes about with malicious gossip (Al-Qalam 68:11).
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ (سورة القلم: 11)
مر النبي ﷺ بقبرين فقال: "يعذبان، وما يعذبان في كبير"، ثم قال: "بلى، كان أحدهما لا يستتر من بوله، وكان الآخر يمشي بالنميمة" (صحيح البخاري 216). وقال ﷺ: "لا يدخل الجنة نمام" (صحيح مسلم 105). ونهى الله تعالى عن طاعة الهماز المشاء بنميم (القلم 68:11).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What if the bad thing I say about someone is true?
Then it is backbiting. The Prophet said: if what you say is in him, you have backbitten him, and if it is not in him, you have slandered him (Sahih Muslim 2589).
How is slander different from backbiting?
Backbiting mentions a true fault that the person dislikes; slander attributes to him what is not in him, which is lying. Allah says that those who harm believers for what they did not do bear slander and a clear sin (Al-Ahzab 33:58).
What is the punishment for spreading gossip?
The Prophet said that no one who spreads gossip will enter Paradise (Sahih Muslim 105), and he named gossip as the reason one of two men was being punished in his grave (Sahih al-Bukhari 216).
Why does the Quran compare backbiting to eating flesh?
To make it repugnant: Allah asks whether any of you would like to eat the flesh of his dead brother, says you would hate it, and then calls to repentance (Al-Hujurat 49:12).