Unfortunately the backbiting is so widespread among people in our society that wherever you go, the people can be seen expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy.
By Maria Khushk
It’s generally known that gossiping is ‘saying something that’s unnecessary, scandalous or untrue about another person’s personal business but the backbiting is harsher version of gossiping that involves more spiteful intent and more slanderous content.
And unfortunately the backbiting is so widespread among people in our society that wherever you go, the people can be seen expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy. In fact those who indulge in backbiting are hiding their own imperfections, oblivious of the fact that they are only harming themselves. Such persons are always engaged in malicious talk about someone who is not present. They slander someone in their absence. This is done on the basis of liking and disliking for other person.
Imam Ali (AS) has said ‘The listener to backbiting is the same as the backbiter.’ Alas! They don’t realize the consequence. They only utter the words without understanding the situation. They are insane or we can say, they’re taking it for pleasure. I hate such multi-faced people. They must be psychiatric.
The worst of all sins are those that are greatest in harm and danger to humanity. Backbiting and slandering are among the destructive major sins. These two sins are forbidden by Allah because they sow enmity, evil and discord among people and lead to destruction.
They cause hostilities between people of the same household and between neighbors and relatives. They can decrease in good deeds and increase in evil ones and lead to dishonor and ignominy.
Backbiting and slandering are shame and disgrace. Their perpetrator is detested. Allah forbids these acts, as He says in the Holy Quran: “Backbiting and gossiping are from the most vilest and despicable of things, yet the most widely spread amongst mankind, such that no one is free from it except for a few people.”
I must say that the backbiting is a cancer, which has destroyed the social fabric. We must strive to get the society rid of it.
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