Do you know what is backbiting? They (the Companions) said: Allah and His Messenger know best. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like. It was said to him: What is your opinion about this that if I actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of? He said: If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.
The Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship - Sahih Muslim 2589
This hadith from Sahih Muslim provides the definitive Islamic definition of backbiting (ghībah) as articulated by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself. The Companions' response "Allah and His Messenger know best" demonstrates proper etiquette when seeking religious knowledge - acknowledging the superior understanding of the Messenger.
Definition of Backbiting
The Prophet ﷺ defined backbiting as "your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like." Scholars explain this includes mentioning anything about a person that they would dislike, whether about their physical appearance, character, lineage, actions, or statements. This comprehensive definition covers both true and false statements.
Imam Nawawi comments that backbiting occurs when you mention something about an absent Muslim that they would resent, even if it is true. This includes physical attributes (like being blind or short), character traits (like being miserly or arrogant), or religious matters (like being negligent in prayer).
The Critical Distinction
The Companions' follow-up question reveals an important nuance: "What if the fault I mention is actually present in my brother?" The Prophet's ﷺ response establishes that mentioning real faults still constitutes backbiting. The only difference is that if the fault doesn't exist, it becomes buhtān (slander), which is an even greater sin.
Al-Qurtubi explains that both backbiting and slander are major sins, but slander carries additional weight because it involves falsehood. The prohibition applies regardless of whether the mention is through words, writing, gestures, or implications.
Scholarly Commentary
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani emphasizes that this hadith establishes the gravity of backbiting in Islam. The use of the term "your brother" highlights the violation of brotherhood that occurs when one speaks ill of another Muslim.
Imam Ghazali notes in his Ihya that backbiting destroys spiritual hearts and severs the bonds of community. The only exceptions scholars permit are for legitimate purposes like seeking religious ruling, warning against harm, or seeking help to remove evil - all with proper intentions and within necessary limits.