Backbiting

One of the great sins that is very prevalent in society is backbiting and slandering the reputation and honor of others, which is called backbiting. If we attribute to someone an action that they did not do or commit, we are committing backbiting. Backbiting means telling others about someone's bad and unpleasant deeds or their physical and moral flaws and defects in a way that would upset them if they heard it. Many people have weaknesses that are hidden from others, and if these flaws and weaknesses are revealed, public trust will be lost and much corruption will arise at the societal level.
This issue has an individual and social impact on human life and leaves a destructive impact on the human spirit and psyche. Another effect of backbiting on a person's life is that their acts of worship are not accepted. Sometimes it happens that people do a good and desirable deed with great effort and effort, but with a moment of negligence, they commit backbiting, and by doing so, they cause their good deed to not be recorded in their deeds, because one of the consequences of backbiting is the non-acceptance of obedience and worship. In addition to the individual consequences of gossiping, this act also has social implications. One of the effects of backbiting is that the reputation of the person being backbitten is played with and human dignity is violated.
Another social effect of backbiting is the creation of enmity. Since backbiting tarnishes the reputation of a believer, it makes him an enemy of the backbiter. Similarly, the friends of the person who is backbitten view the backbiter as an enemy, although their view of the person whose fault is being pointed out may change. By backbiting, a person has committed a great sin that not only causes corruption in a person's faith and morals and disgraces them in this world and the hereafter, but also leads to social and human corruption. If backbiting is not considered pleasant by the people of the society, this great sin will be abandoned, but unfortunately, not much attention is paid to this issue in the society. Currently, the prevailing situation in the society is that if someone backbites in a gathering, they easily listen and enjoy it. One of the factors that leads to the tendency to gossip is the suspicion of others. Suspicion, in addition to polluting individuals, also leads society to corruption and ruin, because suspicious individuals transfer their suspicions to other people and gradually spread among people something that had no basis or foundation other than rumors or misconceptions as a definite and certain matter. Another reason for gossiping is to agree with friends and companions. In fact, this reason can be a motivation for gossiping. Some people, in order to keep the gathering warm and to attract the satisfaction and thoughts of the people in the gathering, engage in vulgar talk, bad talk, and ridicule others in their absence. Another reason why people gossip is their pride and boasting. Some people belittle others and speak ill of them in order to show off their own superiority and perfection. One of the ways to prevent and cure backbiting is to recognize and believe in God. In fact, the most important factor that is effective and efficient in combating the causes of corruption and spiritual and physical illnesses is faith. Another way to prevent and cure backbiting is to remember God.
A person can cure the roots of backbiting through self-awareness, self-knowledge, and attention to their own shortcomings. If someone is aware of their own shortcomings, they will never seek to find fault with others.

Translator : fatemeh abbaszadeh