i. Back Biting:
It means to say something in absence of a person, that if that was said in front of that person, he would dislike what was said about him.
In moral diseases, backbiting is very bad and unluckily it is very common in our society. A few people are free of this disease. Allah directed to be away from this bad act.
ii. Difference between Back Biting and Slandering:
It is significant to differentiate between back biting and slandering. Back biting means to say something bad about a person in his absence and he has that bad act in his character and spoil good name of that person without any reason.
iii. Back Biting in light of Quran:
In Holy Quran, back biting has been severely condemned and it has been regarded a hateful act. It has been directed to avoid back-biting. It is said by Allah
ولا يغتب بعضُكُمْ بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ (الحجرات (12)
Translation: And do not back bite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it.
iv. Backbiting in light of Hadees:
الْغَيْبَةُ أَشْتُمِنَ الزِّنَا (شعب الايمان الجمعي)
Translation: Backbiting is more severe (crime) than adultery...
إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الزَّنَا يَتُوبُ وَصَاحِبَ الْغَيْبَةِ لَيْسَ لَهُ تَوبَةٌ (شعب الايمان -
Translation: An adulterer repents but there no repentance for the person who backbites.
The example of eating flesh of dead brother for backbiting is very comprehensive because the person whose backbiting is done can not resist. So, mutual hatred is produced because of back biting and feelings of rivalry are produced. A person involved in backbiting thinks himself/herself free from all weaknesses and a person whose, backbiting is done becomes more bold. Overall, backbiting destroys social peace in every aspect.
It comes in a hadees, that Holy Prophet said while describing incidents of Miraj, "I saw a group of people, their nails were of bronze and they were scratching their faces and chests with their own nails. I asked Jibrail; "who are these people". He said, "These are the people who eat meat of others and spoil honor of other people. (It means that they back bite).
v. Legal forms of back biting:
In Islamic shariah, backbiting is allowed in two forms.
(i) The plight of victim against culprit.
(ii) To make people aware of a cheating by deceiver.
Some scholars have-considered imitating others and hateful signals also as backbiting.