GOSSIP, SLANDERING AND BACKBITING IN THE NAME OF AL-JARH WATTA'DEEL

By

Ustadh Abdul-Raafi' Al-Imaam

O students of knowledge! May Allah increase me and you in guidance, righteousness and sincerity! Al-Jarh wat-Ta'deel is an extremely thin and extraordinarily delicate bridge the erudite and pious scholars have to inevitably cross to fulfil their obligation of preserving the Deen from interpretations of the overzealous, falsehood of the liars and deceptions of the pretenders! It is not a task for the Lilliputian chest-puffing 'wannabe online and offline scholars and students of knowledge'!

Between implementation of the concept of Al-Jarh wat-Ta'deel and falling into the dreadful abyss of backbiting and gossiping is an extremely fine and hardly visible line that it is recognizable only to the sagacious, judicious, and pious scholars who, in addition to their erudition in the science of Hadeeth, are also knowledgeable of the Objectives of Sharee'ah.

Therefore, avoid hiding under the guise of Jarh wat-Ta'deel to label, smite, spite and smear your brothers! This is because many if not most of what we say negatively about our brethren under the guise of this all-important concept is nothing but mere slandering, backbiting and gossiping. Yes, you read me correct – slandering, backbiting and gossiping! Laisa illa!

And if you think you are insured by your good deeds, perhaps, this admonition by Ibn Al-Jawzi will make you have a rethink:

"Much of the good deeds of the righteous are rendered fruitless due to their backbiting of others." Ibn Al-Jawzi (Rahimahullaah)

Beloved brethren! The easily avoidable but dauntingly awful repercussions of backbiting, slandering and gossiping are something that, I believe, you do not deserve.

Baarakallaahu feenaa wafeekum