Backbiting is probably the most widespread sin committed on a daily basis. Sadly, we have become totally unmindful of this evil. It is so common that it has become part of our daily language pattern. Such is the scourge of backbiting that one doesn’t even know that one is plagued and infected by it.

The Ahaadith of Nabi عليهم السلام are replete with severe warnings against this serious affliction. Nabi (ﷺ)  has sternly warned us to stay away from the dark evil of backbiting because “backbiting” is worse than zina (fornication and adultery).

Adultery may be forgiven via tauba (repentance) while backbiting cannot ... except when the person maligned by the backbiting forgives you.
Hazrat Jabir (رضي الله عنه) reports :

“... Once I was on a journey with Nabi عليهم السلام and we passed two graves. Nabi (ﷺ) remarked that both inmates of these graves are being punished. I then asked the reason for this, to which Nabi عليهم السلام replied :
‘ ... one was involved in backbiting, and the other did not guard against the splashes of urine’ ”.

Hazrat Anas (رضي الله عنه) reports that Nabi (ﷺ) said :
“On the night of Mi’raj I saw a group of people who had fingernails of copper and they were scratching their mouths. I asked Jibraeel عليهم السلام, who are those people? Jibraeel عليهم السلام replied that they are the ones who should eat the flesh of other people ... i.e. they were involved in backbiting!”

Darul Ihsan Centre