Backbiting and Its Adverse Effects

by Shaykh Husayn al-Awayishah

This is a revised and updated edition of Backbiting (formerly entitled Gossip and its Adverse Effects). The translator, Huda Khattab, explains:

The Qur’an states:

{…nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? No, you would abhor it…} (Qur’an 49: 12)

We cannot escape the fact that backbiting affects us all. We have all been victims and, we must be honest, we have all been guilty of this sin. But it is not a matter to be taken lightly; backbiting can wreck lives and shatter communities.

Islam is a practical faith that recognizes the human condition and offers achievable remedies to the problems that beset us. Every human society faces the problem of backbiting, and Islam shows us how to tackle it in a sensible and humane manner. Husayn al-Awayishah has researched this topic in depth, and has presented a concise guide to the evils of backbiting and what can be done about it.

This book may make for uncomfortable reading, but the topic is one that every one of us has to face up to.

Genres: Islam

63 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

A prominent student of knowledge in Jordan, Shaykh Husayn ibn ‘Awdah al-‘Awayishah is a distinguished author and lecturer, with a number of books that have been translated into English. He studied with and was influenced by the great scholar of Hadith, Shaykh Muhammad Nâsir ad-Deen al-Albâni.

Reviews

[sawaaiiq · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Anas رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: <
Have these gossips lost their minds? How can they continue to insult the honour of Muslims and eat their flesh after hearing this hadith? Let them have the glad tidings of copper claws tearing at their faces and chests! These claws are far worse than the claws of savage wild beasts, so as to intensify the punishment for their evil deeds. So it is up to each of us to decide how much we wish to indulge in gossip after reading this!"

Short and concise. Read it!

"A poet said:

If a man is wise and fears Allah,
This will keep him too busy to concern himself with the faults of others,

Just as the weak and sick person is too concerned with his own pain,
To think of the pain of others."

[Tyrah Draman · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book provides a clear cut and simple topics that would benefit us in many ways. the topics are easy to understand with uncomplicated explanations. i've read few books of the same topic, but i think this win me the most as it's easy to digest.

[Muhammed Mustafa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book at ease; whenever I got the chance, I picked it up. And I must say, it is clear and easy to understand.

Know that, I am not knowledgeable enough to confirm whether all the Hadiths and interpretations in the book are entirely from authentic sources and scholars. But whatever I read made sense and helped me understand the severity of backbiting.

I strongly recommend that every Muslim read this book at least once. It should even be part of the school syllabus, or at least there should be a similar book for students. Many of us are so used to backbiting that we don’t feel it in our hearts. We commit this sin so easily without realizing it.

After reading this book, I became more mindful of it and started evaluating myself to avoid backbiting. Being someone who jokes with friends and family, I often ended up talking about someone in a way that crossed the line. This book opened my eyes and helped me understand not just the severity, but also the types of backbiting — many of which we wrongly assume are just normal conversation.

In short, I’m glad I purchased this book. It didn’t cost much, yet it was extremely beneficial; a real eye-opener. In today’s time, where backbiting is so common (whether in family gatherings, university circles, workplaces, or even on social media), it’s crucial to have such knowledge about its severity and its different forms.

May Allah guide us all and protect us from falling into this sin, which can increase fitnah in our daily lives and can so easily take away our good deeds in the Akhira.

[Syazwina Johari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really talk about backbiting in a very straightforward and direct kind of ways. Yet my heart already fell for Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali's book which is the Difference Between Advising and Shaming. That's why my rating for this book is 3.2 as the impact isn't that much compared to the book mentioned just now.

For me it's too short, lacking in further explanation of the topics and also the use of words and deliberation were quite heavy for me, I need to reread it again and again to obtain satisfied understanding for certain parts, if not, I may have risk in having distorted assimilation and everyone knows that, anything that's related to the religion isn't something that we can take lightly. Yet most of the time I have to move on and just continue reading the next page because I couldn't understand much despite after rereading it numerous times.

So, for me it was like reading but not able to comprehend anything, so my head stays blank. I am really sorry, perhaps it's my fault for unable to have good understanding of the book.

Therefore, I was hoping the author would explain it in simpler way so that it's easily to be understood especially for those whom their first language isn't English.

[Kierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Descriptive, insightful, and informational. May we all embody the knowledge we have learned from this book.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed, helpful information thats grasps the readers attention about all forms and grades of backbiting. The author includes evidence from the Quran and Sunnah that verify statements. It's thorough but easy to understand,