Nafsiya Reflections: The Malady of Gossip

Assalamu alaikum and welcome to today’s episode - ‘The malady of gossip.’

Gossiping or backbiting is a harmful disease which infiltrates our personalities since it is part of the wider culture that we’re exposed to.

Many TV and social media programmes make no distinction between real news and rumours. Due to this, gossip has now become an accepted norm and another ‘cool’ thing of the society, and not partaking in this trend may make one feel left out. Even the atmosphere in our drawing rooms falls victim to this practice frequently.

In the societies of Muslim lands, the spread of western culture and lack of Islamic values and education have led to the spread of this toxic disease. The children, youth, adults and old are all affected somehow. Apart from the media encouraging this habit, the reasons that lie behind why people gossip can be many. It can be due to ignorance, or envy, out of boredom, or for the need to become popular or be ‘in the know’ - all of which are incorrect.

In Islam, gossiping and backbiting is considered a great offense against the honour of the one who is absent.

Allah (swt) says in the Quran, Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ

‘O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And do not spy or backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And fear Allah, verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful. (Al-Hujurat 49: 12)

As Muslims, every action that we engage in, should be motivated by the value of seeking Ridwan Allah (the pleasure of Allah swt). Since the Shara’ has attached such a grave punishment to the act of gossip - it is enough incentive for a thinking Muslim to abstain from this deed.

This frame of reference will urge one to analyse the company they keep and the basis of their relationships. You may have heard of the proverb -
‘Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.’

An astute Muslim would steer away from small minds that focus on trivial talk and backbiting. He or she should affiliate themselves with great minds and focus on matters that have more significance in Islam.

As an Ummah living in the 21st Century, we have much more pressing matters to bring to our tables than the personal lives of others. Matters such as the plight of our Ummah and the neglected implementation of Shariah in the Muslim lands are just a few examples.

Imam Ghazali once said: ‘The tongue is a great endowment from Allah; though small in size, its crime is enormous.’

Indeed, our speech is a blessing from Allah but it can be a curse if we use it to backbite or slander.

Hence,we must keep in mind that we are answerable for every action. We are accountable for ourselves as well as for the rights of those who are around us, both those who are present as well as absent. One might feel like a fish out of water when advising against this practice in closed circles, but it is from amongst the actions which preserves the Islamic atmosphere and could bring great reward, especially when done with hikmah and good speech.

May Allah swt grant us the courage to remain resilient in circumstances that test our Taqwa, and may He help us in advising each other against this malady of gossip. Ameen

Jazakallahu khairan for joining us. Till next time,

Wasalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.