Why backbiting the Muslim rulers and scholars is more severe and harmful than backbiting ordinary people
And Ghībah (backbiting) is also from the major sins. If someone were to backbite just one person between the Fajr and the Thuhr prayer for example, then the Thuhr prayer would not expiate for this backbiting, because backbiting is from the major sins, even if it is only once to one single individual.
Ghībah is what the common people call As-Sabbābah[1], meaning that he mentions something about his brother which he dislikes, because the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about it, upon which he said:
"That you mention something about your brother which he dislikes."
So he (a man from those present) said: "Even if what I say about him is true?"
He (the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"If what you say about him is true then you have backbitten him, and if it is not true then you have slandered him."[2]
The severity of the sin of backbiting varies in accordance to its effects and outcomes. And thus backbiting the scholars for example is more severe than backbiting the common people, and backbiting the (Muslim) leaders, meaning the rulers; the king and those under him (from the rulers) is more severe than backbiting those who are lesser than them. Through this we come to know that these pamphlets which are now being spread among the people, we come to know that they are from Ghībah; that spreading them among the people is from the major sins, and that the individual commits a huge sin by way of them, because they bring about that the people hate those who are being backbitten on these papers and pamphlets, that they rebel against who are being backbitten on them, and they also bring about anger and the creation of tribulations.
Subsequently, and refuge is sought with Allāh; Ghībah of the rulers is from the greatest sins within Ghībah itself. Thus whoever spreads them, or copies them and distributes them, is sinful, committing a major sin, and refuge is sought with Allāh. He carries their sin and the sin of everyone who has been affected by them. We ask Allāh for safety and well-being. Because there is no doubt that these affairs enter into Ghībah; that you mention something about your brother which he dislikes. Besides that, what is the source of this speech? Who says that this speech is true? Who says that it is true? For that very reason there are things to be found on these pamphlets which are not true. We have witnessed ourselves that these things are not true, false. Consequently they are a conglomeration of backbiting and slander, and refuge is sought with Allāh.
Thirdly, what are the consequences of spreading these papers? Will the affairs be rectified? Will the people (the rulers) refrain from that which they were described with on these pamphlets? Never! The affair will only get worse. For that reason I hold the opinion that distributing the likes of these pamphlets which entail backbiting of the rulers, we (I) hold that it is from the major sins, that a person will be sinful if he spreads them, or if he copies them, or distributes them among the people, due to what they correspond with being real backbiting. Because real backbiting is to mention something about your brother which he dislikes and there's no doubt that this (here) is from mentioning something about your brother which he dislikes.
Furthermore great evils result from this backbiting; it is not the same as if you were to backbite Zayd and 'Amr (ordinary people), in which case the affair would be (only) on an individual level. However this (backbiting of the Muslim rulers) brings about harm for the person who has been backbitten himself, and harm for the security, because it causes anger and hating of the (Muslim) rulers. We warn against spreading these papers and hold that whoever takes part in spreading them or distributing them, is sinful, committing a major from the major sins. If we knew that the situation will rectified with the like of this, the affair would be easy. However things are not rectified, they only result in discord, hatred for the (Muslim) rulers, and widespread evil.
We ask Allāh, Exalted is He, to give those who try to spread them what they deserve, He is able to do all things, and may Allāh send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Footnotes by translator:
[1] Probably referring to As-Sabbābah, meaning the index finger, which has been called like that in Arabic, because it is used for making 'sabb'/to insult and for making tahdīd/to intimidate. The index finger is also called As-Sabbāhah, because it is used for making tasbīh/glorifying Allāh, and Allāh knows best.
[2] The Hadīth has been reported by Muslim on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al-'Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him
Translated by 'Abdurrahīm Ibn Muhammad Al-Hadhramī.
Published on Salafi-Dawah.com.
Use the player below or download the MP3 here.
Ghībah is what the common people call As-Sabbābah[1], meaning that he mentions something about his brother which he dislikes, because the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, was asked about it, upon which he said:
"That you mention something about your brother which he dislikes."
So he (a man from those present) said: "Even if what I say about him is true?"
He (the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"If what you say about him is true then you have backbitten him, and if it is not true then you have slandered him."[2]
The severity of the sin of backbiting varies in accordance to its effects and outcomes. And thus backbiting the scholars for example is more severe than backbiting the common people, and backbiting the (Muslim) leaders, meaning the rulers; the king and those under him (from the rulers) is more severe than backbiting those who are lesser than them. Through this we come to know that these pamphlets which are now being spread among the people, we come to know that they are from Ghībah; that spreading them among the people is from the major sins, and that the individual commits a huge sin by way of them, because they bring about that the people hate those who are being backbitten on these papers and pamphlets, that they rebel against who are being backbitten on them, and they also bring about anger and the creation of tribulations.
Subsequently, and refuge is sought with Allāh; Ghībah of the rulers is from the greatest sins within Ghībah itself. Thus whoever spreads them, or copies them and distributes them, is sinful, committing a major sin, and refuge is sought with Allāh. He carries their sin and the sin of everyone who has been affected by them. We ask Allāh for safety and well-being. Because there is no doubt that these affairs enter into Ghībah; that you mention something about your brother which he dislikes. Besides that, what is the source of this speech? Who says that this speech is true? Who says that it is true? For that very reason there are things to be found on these pamphlets which are not true. We have witnessed ourselves that these things are not true, false. Consequently they are a conglomeration of backbiting and slander, and refuge is sought with Allāh.
Thirdly, what are the consequences of spreading these papers? Will the affairs be rectified? Will the people (the rulers) refrain from that which they were described with on these pamphlets? Never! The affair will only get worse. For that reason I hold the opinion that distributing the likes of these pamphlets which entail backbiting of the rulers, we (I) hold that it is from the major sins, that a person will be sinful if he spreads them, or if he copies them, or distributes them among the people, due to what they correspond with being real backbiting. Because real backbiting is to mention something about your brother which he dislikes and there's no doubt that this (here) is from mentioning something about your brother which he dislikes.
Furthermore great evils result from this backbiting; it is not the same as if you were to backbite Zayd and 'Amr (ordinary people), in which case the affair would be (only) on an individual level. However this (backbiting of the Muslim rulers) brings about harm for the person who has been backbitten himself, and harm for the security, because it causes anger and hating of the (Muslim) rulers. We warn against spreading these papers and hold that whoever takes part in spreading them or distributing them, is sinful, committing a major from the major sins. If we knew that the situation will rectified with the like of this, the affair would be easy. However things are not rectified, they only result in discord, hatred for the (Muslim) rulers, and widespread evil.
We ask Allāh, Exalted is He, to give those who try to spread them what they deserve, He is able to do all things, and may Allāh send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Footnotes by translator:
[1] Probably referring to As-Sabbābah, meaning the index finger, which has been called like that in Arabic, because it is used for making 'sabb'/to insult and for making tahdīd/to intimidate. The index finger is also called As-Sabbāhah, because it is used for making tasbīh/glorifying Allāh, and Allāh knows best.
[2] The Hadīth has been reported by Muslim on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al-'Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him
Translated by 'Abdurrahīm Ibn Muhammad Al-Hadhramī.
Published on Salafi-Dawah.com.
Use the player below or download the MP3 here.
الغيبة أيضا من كبائر الذنوب فإذا اغتاب الإنسان رجلا واحدا فقط بين صلاة الفجر والظهر مثلا فإن صلاة الظهر لا تكفر هذه الغيبة لأن الغيبة من كبائر الذنوب ولو كانت مرة واحدة لرجل واحد والغيبة هي التي يسميها العوام السبابة يعني أن يذكر أخاه بما يكره لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم سئل عن الغيبة فقال ذكرك أخاك بما يكره قال أرأيت إن كان في أخي ما أقول قال إن كان فيه ما تقول فقد اغتبته وإن لم يكن فيه ما تقول فقد بهته والغيبة تختلف آثامها باختلاف آثارها وعواقبها فمثلا اغتياب العلماء أشد من اغتياب العوام واغتياب الامراء يعني ولاة الأمور الملك ومن دونه أشد من اغتياب من دونهم وبهذا نعرف أن هذه النشرات التي توزع بين الناس الآن من الغيبة وأن نشرها بين الناس من كبائر الذنوب وأن الإنسان يأثم بها إثما عظيما لأنها توجب أن يكره الناس من اغتيبوا في هذه الأوراق والنشرات وأن يتمردوا على من اغتيبوا فيها وتوجب أيضا إيغار الصدور وإيقاظ الفتن فهي والعياذ بالله غيبة لولاة الأمور من أكبر الآثام في الغيبة فالذي ينشرها أو يصورها ويوزعها آثم فاعل كبيرة والعياذ بالله عليه إثمها وإثم كل من تأثر بها نسأل الله السلامة والعافية لأن هذه الأمور لا شك أنها داخلة في الغيبة ذكرك أخاك بما يكره ثم ما مصدر هذا الكلام من قال إن هذا الكلام صحيح من يقول هذا إنه صحيح ولذلك يوجد في بعض النشرات أشياء كذب شاهدناها نحن أنها كذب ليست بصحيحة فتكون جامعة بين الغيبة والبهتان والعياذ بالله وثالثا ماذا يترتب على نشر هذه الأوراق هل تصلح الأمور هل يقلع الناس عما وصفوا به في هذه النشرات ؟ أبدا لا يزيد الأمر إلا شدة لذلك نرى أن توزيع مثل هذه النشرات في غيبة ولاة الأمور نرى انه من كبائر الذنوب وأن الإنسان آثم إذا نشرها أو صورها أو وزعها بين الناس لما فيها من انطباق حقيقة الغيبة عليها لان حقيقة الغيبة ذكرك أخاك بما يكره وهذا لا شك أنه من ذكرك أخاك بما يكره ثم يتولد على هذه الغيبة مفاسد عظيمة ليست كما لو اغتبت زيدا أو عمرو هذا يكون الأمر عليه شخصيا لكن هذا يترتب أنه ضرر على المغتاب شخصيا وضرر على الأمن لأنه يوجب إيغار الصدور وكراهة ولاة الأمور فنحن نحذر من نشر هذه الأوراق ونرى أن من شارك في نشرها أو توزيعها فإنه آثم فاعل كبيرة من كبائر الذنوب ولو كنا نعلم أن الأمور ستصلح بمثل هذا لكان الأمر هينا ولكن الأمور ما تصلح ما تزداد إلا احتكاك وكراهة لولاة الأمور وشرا مستطيرا نسأل الله تعالى أن يجازي من حاول نشرها بما يستحق إنه على كل شيء قدير. وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه