Backbiting

[$ohail T]

[A Hasan]

But then so many things come under backbiting we can t even talk about anyone else when they’re not present.

What about cracking jokes? What if someone is over-sensitive to jokes?

What if I say I don’t like the way he spoke or I don’t like what he was wearing?

Eg on the whatsapp group one brother called Ghamidi sahab not very bright- is that backbiting?

Then removing him and saying that he was not of a good character and being rude- is that backbiting?

[A Hasan]

@Sohail

[$ohail T]

Salam bhai – lil busy this week.

@UmerQureshi or @faisalharoon any input here pls. 🌻

[Umer]

“But then so many things come under backbiting” Unfortunately, yes. Commandments should never evaluated on the basis of apparent results – they must be evaluated on the basis of evidence and sound reasoning.

[A Hasan]

Yes bhai sorry I came across that way. Are all the examples I have forms of backbiting?

[Umer]

Ahmad sahab generally yes, but it also depends. I have childhood friends who just do not mind no matter what jokes I crack about them in their absence or presence. I don’t mind their jokes either. We just have that kind of a strong bond. As humans we intuitively know when we’re crossing the line. And if we unknowingly commit a mistake and it’s pointed out, we should apologize in no uncertain terms. This is my sincere opinion.

[A Hasan]

So as a rule of thumb and in reference to the Quranic verse which talks about assumption- can we say backbiting is anything that involves assumption and an attack on someone’s character- unless you know they would not mind eg in the case of friendship.

[Umer]

Of course one should not assume, and if they must, they should give the person the benefit of the doubt. But backbiting has more to do with one’s intent. As a rule of thumb I think when we are talking about others behind their back, we need to make sure that it’s true and that what we say is necessary for the conversation.