Condemnation of Talebearing in the Prophetic Ahadith

Condemnation of Talebearing in the Prophetic Aḥādīth

Muhammad Usama Attari (Sixth year student at Jamiat al-Madinah, Faizan-i-Faruq-i-Azam, Lahore)

Talebearing is an act of disobedience, which results in the displeasure of Allah Almighty and His Messenger and leads to Hell. It also violates the rights of people. Sadly, this disease is rampant in society nowadays. Some cannot shake this habit no matter how hard they try; such is the severity of this malady within them. As a result, walls of hatred are being raised between us day by day.

We shall now look at select Aḥādīth which censure this abhorrent action.

The definition of talebearing

Imam al-Nawawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه says, “Talebearing is to convey one person’s words to another, whilst intending harm by doing so.”[1]

Another definition: to cause tribulation amongst people by transmitting one person’s words to another.[2]

Six Aḥādīth denouncing talebearing

1.   A talebearer shall not enter Paradise.[3]

2.   Backbiting and talebearing cut away at faith in the same manner a herder cuts down a tree.[4]

3.   The worst servants of Allah Almighty are those who bear tales, cause rifts between friends, and search for shortcomings in upright people.[5]

4.   Those who abused others verbally, searched for weaknesses behind others backs, indulged in talebearing, and looked for shortcomings in innocent people; such individuals shall be gathered by Allah Almighty [on the Day of Judgement] in the form of dogs.[6]

5.   A talebearer shall be punished in his grave before the Hereafter.[7]

Once, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed by two graves and said, “They are both being punished as of now. The reason for this does not appear outwardly major. One of them was a talebearer, whilst the other did not protect himself from urine.”[8]

6.   Shall I not inform you of what the worst haraam is? This is talebearing, which flows forth from the tongue of man.[9]

May Allah Almighty protect us from talebearing and other spiritual illnesses.

اٰمِیْنْ بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہ ِوَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ