So,
Allah teaches us in the Qur’an to eschew gossip and backbiting, and figuratively likens these to the consumption of (one’s brother’s) dead flesh – basically scavenging, like a vulture!
Why so graphic and eww-ish, someone might wonder?
Well, because when you think about it, backbiting is really both disgusting and cowardly.
Disgusting because, well, first of all another person’s personal aspects and affairs and imperfections are none of my business, so I should keep my nose out of them; and in backbiting someone, I may be ruining their dignity and reputation by advertising less than ideal traits or behaviors they’d rather keep private about themselves.
And cowardly because, hello, it’s called backbiting. I’m doing it behind their backs. I am revealing things about them in their absence I’d never do in their presence.
Add to the disgusting part the fact that the backbiter usually be smiling and cheesing to the backbited and acting like he he! they’re the best of buddies and “it’s all good”. Colour me coward, please.
Cheum!
So what’s backbiting? The companions asked The Final Messenger.
It is to expose about a person aspects they’d rather keep classified.
But what if what’s exposed is true about the person? The companions asked, curiously.
That, in fact, is backbiting, returned The Epitome of God’s creation. If it ain’t true, then that’s slanderous, and that’s even worse.
I’m paraphrasing, of course.
May God’s Peace and Blessings be upon His Prophets and their noble companions and all the believers till the day of reckoning.
