Jābir [ibn Abdullāh al-Ansāri] and Abū Sa`īd al-Khudri have said...

Jābir [ibn Abdullāh al-Ansāri] and Abū Sa`īd al-Khudri have said, “He (ص) has said, ‘Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is worse than adultery. An adulterer repents, so Allāh accepts his repentance, but one who backbites is not forgiven unless his fellow [whom he had backbitten] forgives him’” (Vol. 1, p. 115 of Tanbīh al-Khawātir ; p. 116 of Irshād al-Qulūb ).

In a famous lengthy narrative, the Prophet (ص) is quoted as having said, “The recording angels report the deeds of a servant of Allāh, and he has a light like the rays of the sun which stays on till it reaches the lower heavens as the recording angels think greatly of his deeds and testify for him. But when it reaches the gate, the angel in charge of the gate says, ‘Smite the face of the doer of this deed!

I am in charge of monitoring backbiting; my Lord ordered me not to let any good deed of one who backbites people reach my Lord’” (see p. 74, Vol. 1 of Al-Targhib wal Tarhib ). Anas is said as having quoted the Prophet (ص) saying, “During the night of isrā' , I passed by people who were scratching their noses with their nails. I asked Gabriel about them. Gabriel said, ‘These are the people who backbite others and speak ill of their honor’” (p. 115, Vol. 1 of Tanbīh al-Khawātir ; p.

116 of Irshād al-Qulūb ). Al-Barā' [ibn `Āzib] has said, “The Messenger of Allāh delivered a sermon to us once till the free ladies in their own homes heard him. He said, ‘O folks who have believed in tongue but not in heart!

Do not backbite the Muslims, and do not trace their shortcomings, for if one keeps track of the shortcoming of his brother, Allāh will track his shortcoming, and if Allāh tracks his shortcoming, He will expose him even in the deepest depth of his home’” ( Tanbīh al-Khawātir , Vol. 1, p. 115).

Sulaymān ibn Jābir has said, “I went to see the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be with him and his progeny, and said to him, ‘Teach me something good whereby Allāh benefits me.’ He said, ‘Do not underestimate any good deed even if it is an act of pouring from your bucket into a cup of one seeking a drink, and when you meet your brother, meet him with a smile. When he goes away, do not backbite him’” ( Tanbīh al-Khawātir , Vol. 1, p. 115).

Anas [ibn Mālik] has said, “The Messenger of Allāh (ص) delivered a sermon to us once and mentioned usury, touching upon its magnanimity.