The Shaykh further says that preventing the backbiter is not...

The Shaykh further says that preventing the backbiter is not sufficient but one should also endeavour to defend the believer from all such accusations and defects. For example if the defects pertain to some worldly matter one should say, “After all he has not committed a sin.” If the defects are with regard to some religious obligation he should try to somehow prove that the accusation is false.

As an example, if a believer is said to have omitted prayers one can defend him by suggesting, that may be he had forgotten to offer them. If a believer is accused of being an alcoholic, one can suggest that he must have seen him drinking something else, or as a last resort one can say, “He is after all not a Masūm (infallible).

A man is prone to sin sometimes, so instead of back-biting about him you should try to reform him and help him in his difficulties.” Thus one should make every effort to defend his believing brother from such dishonour. The details of this shall be discussed in the chapter of backbiting. It is not necessary that only those who request for help should be assisted We should know that helping an oppressed does not become Wajib only when they request for help.

Every person who is capable of removing difficulties of a believer must do so and if the needy person has entreated for assistance it becomes all the more important. As the Messenger of Allah (S) says, “One who hears the entreaty of a man, ‘O Muslims!

Come for my help,’ and does not assist him, is not a Muslim.”[^9] Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says, “If a person requests his Muslim brother to help him and the latter does not do so inspite of being capable enough; the Almighty Allah installs a huge snake from (the snakes of) Hell on his grave so that it can continuously bite him.” ^10 In another tradition it is reported that such a person will continue to receive this punishment till Qiyāma even if he had been pardoned (for other sins).

Moreover, Imam (a.s.) also said, “No person refrains from helping and pleasing his Muslim brother unless there is some benefit in it.” (i.e. his helping would have been sinful instead of rewarding).” There are many traditions of this type from the Holy Imams (a.s.). Imam Sajjad (a.s.) says: “The sin which results in the descending of calamities is when one does not respond to the call for help of the helpless people.”[^11] Then the Imam (a.s.) invocated Allah (S.w.T.) saying, “O Allah!