Since you have come to know that gheeba means mentioning something which displeases your brother if he comes to know about it, or if he is informed of it or his attention is brought to it, including anything relevant to a shortcoming in his physique, lineage, conduct, or anything he says or does about his creed or worldly affairs, even if it is about what he wears or rides.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has pointed to this saying, “The facets of backbiting is that you mention a defect in form [or conduct], deeds, treatment, sect, ignorance or the like”1

Regarding one's physique, you may refer to his being blear-eyed, cross-eyed, one-eyed, bald, short, tall, black, yellow and anything one can imagine as being “defective” or deforming.

As for lineage, one may say that someone’s father is a debauchee, mean, low, a shoe-mender, merchant, weaver, ignorant or the like, anything which one may dislike no matter what it is, period.

As for conduct, one may say that someone is bad-mannered, tricky, haughty, bragging, irritable, coward, weak-hearted, etc.

As regarding his creed-related deeds, you may say that he is a thief, liar, wine drinker, betrayer, oppressor, does not take his daily prayers seriously, his bowing and prostrating are not good, he takes no precautions with regard to cleanliness, unkind to his parents, does not safeguard himself from backbiting or speaking ill of people’s honor, etc.

As regarding his worldly deeds, it is like your saying that he is impolite, does not take people seriously, feels no obligation towards anyone, talkative, glutton, sleeps too much or sits where he does not belong, etc.

With regard to dressing himself, you may say that his sleeves are too wide, his robe drags behind him, his clothes are not clean, and the like.

Be informed that backbiting is not confined to articulation. Rather, it is prohibited because it conveys to others a shortcoming in/about your brother, identifying him in a way which he hates. Exposing him is similar to scandalizing him about anything relevant to any action such as speech, signal, gesture, beckon, defamation, censure, motion… and everything which lets the other person form a bad impression. All these, fall in the category of backbiting and are equivalent to articulation of a thought the pronouncement of which is prohibitive.

An example for this is narrated about ‘Aisha having said, “A woman came to us once. When she left, I signalled with my hand that she was short. The Prophet (S) told me that I had thus backbitten her”.2

Another example is mimicking. One walks as though he is lame or imitating someone's gait. It is backbiting. It is even more so; it is greater in conveying a picture and thus getting an idea across. It also includes backbiting by writing. A book, it is said, is one of the two tongues. Also included is one who mentions a particular classifier and misrepresents his statements in his own book unless he mentions excuses requiring it such as ijtihad issues without which the goal behind a fatwa is not reached, or producing evidence for the point he drives unless he labels as “wrong” someone else's statements and the like.

Still included is one saying something like this: “One of those who passed by us, etc.,” or “Someone we saw today looks like such-and-such, etc.” Thus, a particular individual is understood to be implied by the statement. What one should avoid is getting others to identify who exactly he means. If such an individual is not thus identified, understood to be the one spoken about, it is alright. The Messenger of Allah (S), whenever he saw someone doing something which he hated would say, “What is wrong with people who do such-and-such?”.3 He would not specify.

Among the most harmful types of backbiting is one done by pretenders who would like others to characterize them as being men of understanding. They convey their thoughts in the method employed by true righteous and pious people so they may pretend to be above backbiting while transmitting their thought. Due to their ignorance, they thus combine two sins: pretension and backbiting.

An example for it is that one hears someone mentioning the name of someone else, so he says, “Praise be to Allah Who did not afflict us with love for authority” or for love for this world, or to seem in a particular way similar to the individual mentioned. Or one may say, “We seek refuge with Allah against immodesty” or against ill luck, or “We plead to Allah to protect us from such-and-such.”

Actually, one merely praising Allah for not making him the opposite of what another person is characterized is regarded as backbiting in the form of supplication while hiding under the cloak of men of righteousness. His intention is actually to mention that person's fault by saying something which includes both backbiting and pretension even as he supplicates to Allah to rid him of sins, not knowing that he already has committed these sins; in fact, he has committed the worst of these sins.

An example for the above is when one starts by praising someone whom he wants to backbite, so he says, “How good the condition of so-and so! He never fell short of performing his acts of adoration, but lately he has slackened and has been afflicted with that whereby we all are afflicted: impatience.” Thus, he speaks ill of himself while in reality he intends to speak ill of someone else. He praises himself by comparing himself with the righteous as the latter condemn their evil-insinuating selves.

Thus, he backbites; he is being a pretender. He praises himself, combining three sins while, due to his ignorance, he thinks he is among the righteous who are above backbiting others. Thus does Satan play havoc with ignorant folks if they seek knowledge but act without having become fully acquainted with the paths of such knowledge. Satan follows them and surrounds their deeds with his schemes, laughing at them and making fun of them.

Also included is one who mentions someone's shortcoming, but nobody among his audience notices it, so he says, “Praise be to Allah! How strange it is!” The backbiter indicates so in the hope the inattentive person may listen to him carefully and get to understand his hint. He mentions the Name of Allah, Praise to Him, using His Name as a means to achieve his own meanness and falsehood. Due to his ignorance and conceit, he thinks he is doing Allah a favor by mentioning His Name.

Also included is one who says that someone did such-and-such or has been afflicted with such-and-such. He may even say, “Our fellow, friend, may Allah grant him and our own selves’ acceptance of repentance…, etc.” Thus, he pretends to supplicate for him, feeling pain on his account, being a friend and a fellow, while Allah is acquainted with the meanness of his inner self and the corruption of his conscience. Due to his ignorance, he does not know that he has exposed himself to a greater contempt than that to which the ignorant ones are exposed when they openly backbite.

Among its hidden types is listening to backbiting in the way of expressing amazement. One demonstrates amazement in order to energize the backbiter as the latter is at it, encouraging him to continue backbiting, as if he is extracting backbiting out of him in such a way. He may say, “I have been amazed at what you have just stated. Till now, I never knew it! I did not know that that individual is like that!” He wants to testify to the backbiter being truthful, asking him in a nice way to provide him with more. Testifying to the truth of backbiting, actually even listening to it, even remaining silent about it, is by itself an act of backbiting.

The Messenger of Allah (S) has said, “One who listens (to backbiting) is one of the two backbiters”.4

Imam Ali (‘a) has said, “One who listens to backbiting is one of those who backbite”.5

He (‘a) means that if one listens to backbiting with enjoyment, not (necessarily) agreeing, or who can deny what he hears but does not do so, is included in the sin. Since both individuals, the one who listens to, or who hears in such a way of enjoyment, actually backbite, this is due to his sharing the pleasure which the backbiter feels when he backbites.

It is due to their minds, both of them, being conditioned with contemptible images which should not be there even when they differ in the fact that one of them is articulating and the other is being receptive. But each of them is using a mechanism that helps him backbite: One of them uses his tongue to express a soul that has been polluted by drawing images of lies, prohibitions and the determination to be involved in them. The other listens as his soul accepts such effects due to taking such a bad option, becoming used to them, accustomed to it, enabling the poisoning of the subconscious mind with falsehood.

An example for the above is the wise saying that the listener is the speaker's partner. In the previous example, there is an indication that when the Prophet (S) said to one of the men who said about another that the latter squirted like dogs, “Eat of this carcass!”, thus putting them both in the same box although one of them was a speaker and the other a listener.

The listener does not get out of the sin of backbiting except if he rejects it by his tongue, but if he fears, he rejects it by his heart. If he can stand and leave or interrupt such talk with something else but does not, the sin will be attached to him. Had he said with his tongue, “Shut your mouth!” while inwardly he liked to hear, it would have been hypocrisy, another sin added. Nothing gets him out of the sin (of backbiting) unless he sincerely hates it with his heart.

The Prophet (S) is reported as having said, “One who witnesses a believer being humiliated without supporting him, while being able to do so, will be humiliated by Allah on the Day of Judgment as the creation looks on”6.

Abu al-Darda' is quoted as having said that the Messenger of Allah (S) had said, “One who protects his brother's honor as it is charged with backbiting, Allah will protect his honor on the Judgment Day”7.

He (S) has also said, “One who defends his brother's honor with regard to backbiting, Allah will set him free from the fire”8.

Through his isnad to the Messenger of Allah (S), al-Saduq has stated that the Prophet (S) said, “One who defends on behalf of his brother, because of backbiting which he had heard in a gathering and which he refutes, Allah will close a thousand gates of evil in his face in the life of this world and in the hereafter. But if he does not refute it while being able to do so, his burden will be seventy times as much as that of the person who had backbitten him”9.

Through isnad to Imam al-Baqir (‘a), the Imam said, “One who listens to his believing brother being backbitten, so he defends and supports him, Allah will support him in the life of this world and in the hereafter. Allah will abandon one who does not defend such a brother, while being able to defend and help him, in the life of this world and in the hereafter”10.

Be informed that one is prohibited from speaking ill of a believer, and he is prohibited from mentioning the wrongdoings of others. He also is prohibited from thinking ill and from contemplating it inwardly. What is meant by the inwardly evil thought, which is prohibited, is judging one as being a wrongdoer without making sure about it.

As regarding illicit thoughts, and since its insinuations are forgiven, doubt in this sense is also forgiven; Allah Almighty has said,

“O you who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible), for suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy on each other, nor speak ill of others by way of backbiting. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay! You would abhor it... but fear Allah, for Allah is oft-Returning, Most Merciful” (Qur'an, 49:12).

You have no right to think ill of someone unless you see with your own eyes what has no room for interpretation. If you do not know something, yet it finds its place in your heart, Satan places it there, and you ought to belie it, for it is the worst type of sin. Allah Almighty has said,

“O you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth lest you should harm people unwittingly and afterwards become full of repentance for what you have done” (Qur'an, 49:6).

Iblis must not be believed.

In such a situation, the Shari’a says that if you detect the smell of wine in someone, you cannot judge that he has drunk wine, and he is not to be penalized on its account, for it is possible he gargled it and detested it, or he was forced to drink it, and both are possible; so, a Muslim must not be the object of our suspicion.

The Prophet (S) has said, “Allah Almighty prohibits a Muslim from having a free hand in another Muslim's life or possession even if he thinks ill of him”11. Hence, ill thoughts are not permitted unless the shedding of blood and the confiscation of wealth become permissible: One is sure by seeing or due to fair evidence, or their equivalent among matters which bring about conviction, or whatever the Shari’a deems as being certain.

The father of Abdullah (‘a) is quoted as having said, “If a believer accuses his believing brother of something, conviction (Iman) melts in his heart just as salt melts in water”12.

He (‘a) has also said, “If one charges his brother about his creed, the sanctity between them will be violated”13. He (‘a) has also said, “The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) has said, 'Think best of your brother till something convinces you of the contrary, and do not think ill of something which your brother says if you can at all find a good justification for it14“, that is, think well of what your brother says or does even if it can be interpreted differently without having to spy on him till you come to know about something which has no room for interpretation, for ill thoughts can be wrong whereas spying is prohibitive.

The way whereby one can get to know what the heart contemplates, whether it is an ill thought or an insinuation, is that you subject yourself to a test. If you change and your heart is displeased with him, or if you belittle him, or if you are reluctant to look after him, to find out how he is doing, to honor him, to care about his condition and feel sad because his condition has changed…, it is a sign that doubt has entertained your mind.

The Imam (‘a) has said, “Three things in a believer for which there is a way out: One's exit out of an ill thought is not to think of it as being certain15, that is, do not carry out an investigation through thoughts or actions, neither in the heart nor in the senses. As regarding the heart, it is through turning it towards revulsion and contempt.

Regarding the senses, it is acting upon them. What ought to be done when an illicit thought about a believer is entertained is that one increases paying good attention to him and supplicating for him, for this angers Satan and it thus is pushed away from you. Satan will then avoid casting an illicit thought in your mind out of his fear you would supplicate for your brother and look after him, which is the opposite of his goal.

No matter how many faults about a believer you come to know, advise him inwardly, and do not let Satan deceive you and call upon you to backbite him. If you admonish him, do not do so while you are pleased you came to know about his shortcoming so he may think highly of you while you think lowly of him, while you see yourself as being higher in status than him by token of your admonishment of him. Rather, let your objective be ridding him of the sin, and you feel sorry for him just as you would feel sorry for yourself if a shortcoming is attached to you.

You ought to think inwardly that leaving him without advising him is dearer to you than leaving him on account of an advice with which you admonished him. If you do so, you will have combined the rewards of admonishment with the rewards of feeling sad about your brother's misfortune as well as the reward for helping him keep his faith strong.

One of the fruits of ill thoughts is spying. The heart is not convinced with doubts. It demands an investigation. Thus, one occupies himself by spying, something which is prohibitive.

Allah Almighty says, “… And do not spy (on each other)” (Qur'an, 49:12).

Allah, praise belongs to Him, has prohibited in this verse backbiting, ill thoughts and spying. The meaning of spying is that you do not leave the servants of Allah being shielded by Allah's covering, so you seek to familiarize yourself (with what they try to hide or conceal), thus tearing apart this covering. Had you kept that covering as it is, it would have been better for your heart and creed; so, think about it, may you be guided rightly, and surely success comes from Allah.

• 1. Musbah al-Sharee’a, p. 205.
• 2. Tanbih al-Khawatir, Vol. 1, p. 118.
• 3. Ihya Ulum ad-Din, Vol. 3, p. 137.
• 4. Tanbih al-Khawatir, Vol. 1, p. 119.
• 5. Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 74.
• 6. Ihya Ulum ad-Din, Vol. 3, p. 138.
• 7. Tanbih al-Khawatir, Vol. 1, p. 119.
• 8. Tanbih al-Khawatir, Vol. 1, p. 119.
• 9. Al-Saduq's A’mali, p. 350.
• 10. Al-Mahasin, p. 103, tradition No. 81.
• 11. Ihya' Ulum ad-Din, Vol. 3, p. 142.
• 12. Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 361.
• 13. Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 361.
• 14. Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 362.
• 15. Ihya' Ulum ad-Din, Vol. 3, p. 143.