Chapter: The prohibition of listening to backbiting, the duty of the one who hears prohibited backbiting to repel it and censure the speaker; if he cannot, or his censure is not accepted, he must leave the gathering if able.

Allah the Exalted says: “When they hear idle talk, they turn away from it.” And He says: “And those who turn away from vain speech.” He also says: “Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—each of these will be called to account.” And He says: “When you see those who plunge into irreverent talk about Our revelations, turn away from them until they engage in a different conversation; and if Satan should cause you to forget, then after remembering do not sit with the wrongdoing people.”

1528 – Abu al-Dardaʾ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever defends his brother’s honor, Allah will turn the Fire away from his face on the Day of Resurrection.” Related by al-Tirmidhi, who deemed it sound (ḥasan).

1529 – ʿItbān ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him), in his long, well-known report mentioned earlier in the Chapter on Hope, said: The Prophet ﷺ stood to pray and asked, “Where is Mālik ibn al-Dukhshum?” A man replied, “That man is a hypocrite; he does not love Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet said, “Do not say that. Do you not see that he has said lā ilāha illā Allāh (there is no god but Allah), seeking thereby the Face of Allah? And Allah has…"