The Consequences of Backbiting
There is no doubt that backbiting has numerous and significant detrimental effects on both the perpetrator and society at large, impacting individuals in this life and the hereafter. It is important to highlight these negative consequences in order to avoid and steer clear of such behavior.
Consequences of Backbiting on the Individual in This Life
The repercussions of backbiting on an individual during their earthly existence include:
- Those who engage in backbiting often find themselves alienated, as people distance themselves and avoid socializing with them, resulting in their rejection within a virtuous community.
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned that pursuing the faults of fellow Muslims can lead to divine exposure; as narrated by Abu Barzah Al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet said: “Whoever seeks the faults of his brother, Allah will expose his faults even in the privacy of his home.”
- Backbiting fosters negative and hostile traits within the individual, leaving a poor impression on those around them.
- It reflects the lowly character of the individual, indicating traits of cowardice and baseness.
- When a person becomes accustomed to backbiting, it can turn into a habitual practice that becomes a part of their daily life, leading them further away from God.
- This behavior is indicative of envy and malice, as backbiters tend to thrive in atmospheres of wrongdoing and associate with those who commit sins.
Consequences of Backbiting on the Individual in the Hereafter
The ramifications of backbiting in the afterlife are numerous, including:
- Backbiting adds to the sinner’s record of transgressions while diminishing their good deeds, with the ultimate consequence being hellfire; Allah (the Exalted) does not forgive the backbiter unless the person they backbitten grants forgiveness.
- Some scholars regard backbiting as one of the gravest forms of usury, given its severity in tarnishing the reputation of a fellow Muslim.
- This act negatively influences the reward for fasting, impairing the integrity of the fast, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “Whoever does not abandon false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink.”
- It serves as a path to spiritual bankruptcy on the Day of Judgment.