Riyad al-Salihin - Al-Nawawi - (1/519)

Book of Prohibited Matters
Chapter: The Prohibition of Backbiting and the Duty to Guard the Tongue

Allah the Exalted says: “Do not backbite one another.(2) Would any one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely loathe it. So be mindful of Allah; indeed, Allah is Ever-Relenting, Ever-Merciful.” [Qur’an, Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt 49:12]

He, exalted is He, also says: “Do not pursue(3) that of which you have no knowledge. Truly the hearing, the sight, and the heart—each of these will be called to account.” [Qur’an, Sūrah al-Isrāʾ 17:36]

And He says: “He does not utter a single word but that a watcher(4) is ready beside him.” [Qur’an, Sūrah Qāf 50:18]

Know that every morally responsible person must guard his tongue from all speech except that in which benefit is clearly apparent. Whenever speaking and remaining silent are equal in benefit, the Sunnah is to abstain, for permissible speech may easily lead to what is unlawful or disliked, and that happens often in practice. Nothing equals the safety that comes from restraint.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever believes in Allah—”

(1) This book contains numerous chapters that exemplify noble Prophetic etiquette and sound Qurʾanic character. We ask Allah to enable us and our fellow Muslims to adopt the manners of Islam. (2) Backbiting (ghibah) is to mention about your brother what he would dislike, as will be clarified in hadith no. 1536. (3) That is: to track or pursue. (4) Meaning: an angel who observes him; ʿatid means ever-present.

١٧ - كِتَابُ الْأُمُورِ الْمَنْهِي عَنْهَا ٢٥٤ - باب تحريم الغيبة والأمر بحفظ اللسان قال الله تعالى : ﴿وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً﴾(٢) أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا ؛ فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ! وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾ [سورة الحجرات الآية : ١٢] . وقال تعالى : ﴿وَلَا تَقْفُ﴾(٣) مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ، إِنَّ السَّمْعَ ، وَالْبَصَرَ ، وَالْفُؤَادَ ، كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا﴾ [سورة الإسراء الآية : ٣٦] . وقال تعالى : ﴿مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ﴾(٤) عَتِيدٌ﴾ [سورة ق الآية : ١٨] . إِعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لِكُلِّ مُكَلَّفٍ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ لِسَانَهُ عَنْ جَمِيعِ الْكَلَامِ إِلَّا كَلَامًا ظَهَرَتْ فِيهِ الْمَصْلَحَةُ ، وَمَتَى اسْتَوَى الْكَلَامُ وَتَرْكُهُ فِي الْمَصْلَحَةِ ، فَالسنَّةُ الْإِمْسَاكُ عَنْهُ ، لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ يَنْجُرُ الْكَلَامُ الْمُبَاحُ إِلَى حَرَامٍ أَوْ مَكْرُوهٍ ، وَذَلِكَ كَثِيرٌ فِي الْعَادَةِ ، وَالسَّلَامَةُ لَا يَعْدِلُهَا شَيْءٌ . ١٥١٩ - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه ، عن النبي ﷺ قال : « مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ

(١) يحوي هذا الكتاب العديد من الأبواب الدالة على الأدب النبوي الكريم ، والخلق القرآني السوي ، نسأل الله لنا ولإخواننا المسلمين التأدب بأدب الإسلام . (٢) من الغيبة ذكرك أخاك بما يكره كما سيأتي في الحديث (١٥٣٦) . (٣) أي : تتبع . (٤) أي : ملك يرقبه : (عتيد) أي : حاضر .