"I told theProphet (ﷺ) about a man, so hesaid: 'I do not like to talk about aman, even if I were to get this orthat (for doing so)." She said: "Isaid: 'O Messenger of Allah!Safiyyah is a woman who is ..." andshe used her hand as if to indicatethat she is short - "So he said:'You have said a statement which,if it were mixed in with the waterof the sea, it would pollute it."
Hadith Commentary: The Gravity of Backbiting
This profound narration from Jami' at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 2502) serves as a stern warning against backbiting (ghībah) and speaking ill of others. The Prophet's (ﷺ) initial statement establishes the general principle: he dislikes speaking about people, even if offered worldly gain. This demonstrates the severe spiritual harm of backbiting, which outweighs any temporal benefit.
The companion's subsequent remark about Safiyyah's physical stature, though seemingly minor, draws an extraordinary analogy from the Prophet. His statement that such speech would pollute the entire sea illustrates how a single negative word can spiritually contaminate a person's record of deeds. The vastness of the ocean represents the magnitude of good deeds, while the pollution signifies how backbiting can corrupt and nullify them.
Scholarly Analysis
Classical scholars explain that backbiting includes mentioning anything about a person they would dislike, whether physical, religious, worldly, or personal characteristics. The Prophet's severe reaction to what might appear as a harmless observation teaches us that even factual statements about others' shortcomings constitute backbiting if mentioned without legitimate necessity.
This hadith appears in the "Chapters on the description of the Day of Judgement, Ar-Riqaq, and Al-Wara'" section, emphasizing its connection to heart-softening reminders (riqāq) and scrupulous piety (warā'). It serves as a crucial lesson in guarding one's tongue, a fundamental aspect of Islamic ethics that protects individual honor and maintains social harmony.