for the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—was asked about backbiting and replied, “It is to mention your brother with something he dislikes.” Someone then asked, “What if what I say about him is actually true?” He answered, “If what you say is true, you have backbitten him; and if it is not true, you have slandered him.”

The sin of backbiting varies according to the harm and the consequences that follow from it. Thus, backbiting scholars is graver than backbiting ordinary people, and backbiting those in authority is even more serious than backbiting anyone beneath them. From this we realize that the pamphlets being circulated nowadays fall under backbiting, and that distributing them is one of the major sins. A person who spreads them incurs tremendous guilt, for they lead people to despise those who are spoken against, to rebel against them, and they inflame hearts and stir up strife. In short, they are—Allah’s refuge is sought—backbiting about the rulers and therefore one of the most heinous forms of backbiting.

Whoever circulates, photocopies, or hands out such pamphlets is committing a major sin—may Allah protect us—and he bears his own burden as well as the burden of everyone influenced by them. We ask Allah for safety and well-being, for there is no doubt that these matters fall squarely under the definition of backbiting: mentioning your brother with something he dislikes.

Moreover, what is the source of these statements? Who has confirmed their accuracy? Who can vouch that they are true? In fact, some pamphlets contain outright lies, so they combine backbiting with slander—Allah’s protection is sought.

Thirdly, what comes of distributing these papers? Do they set matters right? Do the people accused in them abandon the faults ascribed to them? Never. They only make the situation more severe.