رِيَاضُ الصَّالِحِينَ
Riyad as-Salihin 1523
The Book of the Prohibited actions
The Prohibition of Backbiting and the Commandment of Guarding one's Tongue
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: “أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْغِيبَةُ؟” قَالُوا: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ: "ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ" قِيلَ: أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ؟ قَالَ: "إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ، فَقَدِ اغْتَبْتَهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ”. ((رَوَاهُ مُسْلِم)).
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do you know what is backbiting?" The Companions said: "Allah and His Messenger know better." Thereupon he said, "Backbiting is talking about your (Muslim) brother in a manner which he dislikes." It was said to him: "What if my (Muslim) brother is as I say." He said, "If he is actually as you say, then that is backbiting; but if that is not in him, that is slandering." [Muslim].
Riyad as-Salihin, 1523