Traditions on Ghiība There are a large number of traditions...

Traditions on Ghiība There are a large number of traditions that speak of Ghiība as a sin, which is promised divine punishment.

We quote a tradition of Makasib where Shaykh Ansari has recorded a tradition of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S): “Ghiība is worse than fornication because if a fornicator repents, Allah (S.w.T.) forgives him but He does not forgive the back-biter till the person about whom he has back-bited forgives.”[^3] One day the Messenger of Allah (S) describing the evil aspects of usury said that taking a Dirham as usury was worst than committing adultery thirty six times.

Then he said that the worst kind usury is revealing the defects of a Muslim and insulting him.[^4] In the light of the above traditions Ghiība is proved to be a greater sin also because it is worse than Adultery and Usury and we have already proved in the earlier chapters that Adultery and Usury are greater sins.

The Holy Prophet (S) also said, “Allah will not keep a person who reveals the fault of a Mu’min, along with him in Paradise, and if he accuses him of faults the Mu’min does not have, the pure relationship of their faith will be destroyed and the back biter will forever dwell in Hell, which is a dreadful place.”[^5] The below tradition is sufficient for a person with insight. “One who thinks that he is legitimately born is wrong, because by doing Ghiība of people he is consuming their flesh.

Beware of Ghiība because it is the diet of the dogs of Hell.”[^6] “One who moves from his place with the intention of back-biting about his brother in faith, you should know that he has taken the first step towards Hell.”[^7] “Even if the back-biter repents he will be the last to enter Paradise, and one who dies without repenting will be first in Hell.”[^8] The Second Martyr (Shahīd al-Thani) narrates from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) and the Messenger of Allah (S) that the thing nearest to infidelity is that a person listens to a word from a person and remembers it for using it later to insult him by telling it to others.