🚫IBNU TAYMIYYAH’S INSIGHT ON THE SUBTLE METHODS OF FORBIDDEN BACKBITING (GHIBAH)🚫

✏️ SHAYKHU-L-ISLAM IBNU TAYMIYYAH (may Allah have mercy on him) said: IBNU 📛 “Among people are those who engage in backbiting just to please their companions, friends, or clans, even though they know that the one being backbitten is innocent of what is being said, or that only part of it may be true. However, they think that if they were to object, the gathering would be disrupted, and the attendees would find them burdensome and turn away from them. So they see agreeing with the group as part of good social conduct and pleasant companionship. Sometimes, if their friends are angry, they become angry as well and join them in speaking ill.” 🚫 “Among them are also those who present backbiting in various disguises:” 📛 - Sometimes in the guise of religious concern, saying: ‘I’m not used to speaking ill of anyone, nor do I like backbiting or lying. I’m only informing you of his situation.’ 📛 - Or he may say: ‘By Allah, he’s a good person or a poor soul, but he has such-and-such issue.’ 📛 - Or perhaps he says: ‘Let’s not talk about him—may Allah forgive us and him,’ while his real intention is to belittle and undermine the person.” 🚫They disguise backbiting in forms of piety and religiosity, deceiving Allah by it just as they would deceive a human being. We have seen from them many kinds and examples of this. 📛 – Among them is one who praises another person hypocritically, only to elevate himself. He says: “Last night, I prayed for so-and-so in my salah, even though I heard such-and-such about him,” intending to exalt himself while belittling the other person before those who respect him. 📛 – Or he says: “So-and-so is slow-witted, lacking understanding,” but his real intent is to praise himself, prove his own knowledge, and show he is better than the other. 📛 – Among them are those whom envy drives to backbiting, thus combining two evil traits: backbiting and envy. When someone is praised, they attempt to negate it by diminishing him as much as they can, cloaked in the guise of religious concern, piety, or out of envy and open malice, in order to discredit him. 📛 – Among them is the one who backbites under the guise of jest and play, mocking, mimicking, and belittling others just to make people laugh. 📛 – Among them is one who backbites under the guise of amazement, saying: “I’m astonished at so-and-so—how could he not do such-and-such?” or “How could this or that happen to him?” or “How could he do such a thing?”—thus mentioning the person’s name under the pretense of astonishment. 📛 – Among them is the one who feigns sorrow, saying: “Poor so-and-so, I’m really saddened by what happened to him,” so that those who hear him think he is grieving for the person and sympathizing—while his heart is actually rejoicing in the misfortune. If he could, he would worsen the person's condition. Sometimes he even mentions it to the person's enemies to let them take pleasure in it. This and similar actions are among the most serious diseases of the heart and are deceptions against Allah and His creation. 📛 – Among them is one who presents backbiting as anger over wrongdoing. He expresses fury and condemnation, while in reality, his intent is far from what he shows, decorating his words outwardly with concern but inwardly seeking to harm. Allah is the One whose help is sought." 📚[Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 28/238] 🔸Narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Do you know what backbiting (ghibah) is?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He ﷺ said: "It is mentioning about your brother something he dislikes." It was said: "What if what I say about my brother is true?" He ﷺ replied: "If what you say about him is true, then you have backbitten him. But if it is not true, then you have slandered him." 📕Narrated by Muslim. https://t.me/NawwasalHindiEng/521