a very common disease

7/28/2019 A Very Common Disease

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Its a CommonDisease

Presentation time: 8 minutes


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Its not an infectiousdisease or cancer that canharm a persons body in

this worldbut its muchmore dangerousit rapidly

engulfs a persons

existence like wild fireleaving him helpless in this

world and hereafter


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Prophet Muhammad (s) once said toImam Ali (a): O Ali! When

someone hears the backbiting ofhis Muslim brother committed in hispresence, yet he does not rally to

his assistance despite beingcapable of doing so, God shall

humiliate him in the world and inthe Hereafter.

Al-Hurr al-`Amili Wasa'il al-Shi ah vol. 8 hadith no. 16336


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Abu Dharr (r) once asked theProphet Muhammad (s): O

Messenger of Allah, what isgheebah? He replied: It is to

mention about your brotherthat which he detests.


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Abu Dharr (r) said: O Messenger of

Allah, what if that which is mentioned ofhim should actually be in him? He (s)replied: Know that when you mention

that which is in him, you havecommitted his gheebah, and when youmention that which is not in him, then

you have slandered him.

Al-Hurr al-`Amili Wasai'l al-Shi`ah vol. 8 hadith no. 16312


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Consequences ofBackbiting


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The Prophet (s) once gave counsel to AbuDharr (r) , saying: O Abu Dharr! Beware of

backbiting, for backbiting is graver thanadultery (zina). Abu Dharr (r) said: Why

is that so, O Messenger of Allah? He (s)

replied: That is because when a mancommits adultery and then repents to God,God accepts his repentance. However,

backbiting is not forgiven until forgiven by

its victim.

Al-Hurr al-`Amili Wasai'l al-Shi`ah vol. 8 hadith no. 18312


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The Noble Messenger (s) said: Whoeverbackbites a Muslim, spoils his fasts and

breaks his ablution (wudu), and shallcome on the Day of Resurrection with his

mouth's stench more putrid than a

carcass', and it shall irk those who arewith him in his station (mawqif). If hedies before repenting, his death is like

that of one who dies while consideringpermissible that which is prohibited by

God, the Exalted and the Glorious.

Al-Hurr al-`Amili Wasa'il al-Shi`ah vol. 8 hadith no. 16316


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Imam al-Sadiq (a) narrated from theProphet (s) who said: O you whohave embraced Islam with your

tongues but in whose hearts faith hasnot yet entered, do not disparage

Muslims and do not seek theirdefects. Verily, God will seek out the

defects of he who is after their

defects; and one who has God afterhis defects will be humiliated, even in

his own abode.

Al-Kula ni al-Kafi vol. 2 "Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr" hadith no. 2


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Imam al-Sadiq (a) narrated fromthe Prophet (s) who said: The

havoc wrought on the believer'sfaith by backbiting is swifter thanthe one wrought by aklah (a

disease that consumes the flesh)in the side of his body.

Al-Kula ni al-Kafi vol. 2 "Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr hadith no. 1


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When backbiting ingresses into ourconduct, it leaves adverse effects on the

soul. One of these is cultivation ofenmity and hatred towards the victim,which gradually increases. At the timeof death, when the veils of the angelic

realm (al-malakut) are lifted, thebackbiter may be brought to witness the

high station of his victims before God,

and the honour and blessings bestowedon them by the Almighty Lord.


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The backbiter's hatred andenmity towards the personmay then lead him to hateGod Almighty! Thus, he will

leave this world with enmity ofGod in his heart, and entereverlasting wretchedness...


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Prohibition of Listening toBackbiting


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The Prophet (s) said: Thelistener is one of the two

backbiters.

Al-Kula ni al-Kafi vol. 2 "Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr hadith no. 1


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Imam al-Sadiq (a) narrated from theNoble Messenger (s) who is once saidto have forbidden both backbiting andlistening to it. Then he (s) said: Lo,

whoever does a favour to his brother by

refuting his backbiting upon hearing itin a gathering, God shall save him froma thousand kinds of evils in this world

and in the Hereafter. And if he doesnot do so despite his ability to refute it,on him shall be the burden of one who

commits his backbiting seventy times.Al-Hurr al-`Amili Wasa'il al-Shi`ah vol. 8 hadith no. 163161


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The common triggers

Among the more subtle forms ofbackbiting is listening to it with

amazement. Such a person

expresses his amazement in orderto make the backbiter more lively

in his descriptions. Hisamazement encourages the latterin his evil act. For instance, he will

say, Strange or


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Or he might say, I didn't knowthat! or I didn't know he would

do such a thing! Theseexpressions are meant to affirm the

backbiter's statements and to

encourage him to add somethingmore. These acts are in fact theDevil's artifices. Surely, to affirm

backbiting is also backbiting; as is tolisten to it, or even to remain silent

upon hearing it.

al-Shahid al-Thani's Discourse as uoted in Fort Hadith b Imam Khuma ni


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Is Backbiting EverAllowed?

One must be very careful notto let the existence of these

exceptions allow transgressioninto sin.

S f th it ti


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Some of these situationsare

1.To protect Muslims from the evil ofanother person, including situationswhere one is asked to vouch for the

integrity of a marriage prospect

2. When the person being talked about

does not conceal his violations ofDivine commands and openlycommits sins


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3. To describe any fault of apatient before a physician for

purposes of treatment

4. Criticism about a narrator oftraditions


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The cure of this deadlydisease


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If someone, God forbid, hasbeen guilty of this ugly act, he

or she must purge this viceand nourish the roots of

sincerity, unity, and solidarityin his or her heart by followingthese steps


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Backbiting often results from aweakness in the backbiters own soul,such as an inferiority complex. You

should pry into your soul to discoverwhat weakness prompted you tobackbite your brother or sister; then

set out to remedy the weakness.


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Meditate for a while about the effects ofthis sin in this world and in the Hereafter.

Reflect on the fearsome, frightful formsthat will beset you in the grave, in the

Barzakh, and on the Day of Resurrection.

Heed the words of the Holy Prophet (s)and his household (a) for their pearls ofwisdom in this regard will overwhelm

you. Then weigh a quarter of an hour'spleasantries, gossip, and satisfaction ofthe imaginative lust against thousandsupon thousands of years of adversity or

eternal damnation in hell and everlasting


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Consider this: even if you have

enmity toward a person whom youbackbite, that animosity requires

that you should not resort to

backbiting. It is stated in thetraditions that the good deeds ofthe backbiter are transferred to the

book of deeds of the victim of hisbackbiting, and the victim's sins aretransferred to the record of the

backbiter.


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Repent and seek theforgiveness of the victim, ifthis is possible without any

chance of vicious

consequences; otherwise, youmust implore God's mercy for

the victim.


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Gather all your strength to rid your soul of thissin at all cost, by making a covenant with

yourself to abstain from this abominable for a

certain time. Bring your tongue under controland be fully watchful of yourself, steadfastly

vigilant, calling yourself to account. Godwilling, it is hoped that after some time you willfind yourself reformed and free of its ill traces.Gradually the burden of the task will ease, andyou will feel a natural disposition to dislike and

detest it. At that point, you will come topossess spiritual peace and delight inachieving freedom from this vice.


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The Prophet (s) said: "No fire is

faster in consuming dry woodthan gheebah in consuming a

devotee's virtues."

Al-Maha at al-ba da' vol. 5 . 264


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... Nor backbite oneanother; would any of

you like to eat the fleshof his dead brother? You

would abhor it.(Qur'an 49:12)


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Thanks for your time

a very common disease

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