Dangers of slander

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Social and individual vices of slander The most important motives for slander

Now, we mention the importance of this sin in view of Quran and traditions of Prophet S.A. and Prophet's Household A.S., and then will analyze the individual and social vices that it will cause.

Although most people do not respect this vital issue, the original Islamic resources have put an extra emphasis on it. The most vigorous interpretations are seen in the Holy Quran and traditions concerning slander, and we have selected following ten cases among them, and perhaps these ten parts are adequate for realizing the importance of this sin in view of Islam.

1- Slander in view of Holy Quran

Holy Quran has considered slander as an inhuman action, and has introduced it as eating flesh of a dead brother. Obviously, anthropophagy in such a way is the most repulsive action which may be done by a person, and this interpretation is exclusively mentioned for this sin.

Of course, the reason of this assimilation is clear. Because in Islam's view, a Moslem brother's reputation and prestige is respectable as his blood, as it is mentioned in the Prophetic tradition:

«کُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى لْمُسْلِمِ حَرامٌ: دَمُهُ وَ مالُهُ وَ عِرْضُهُ».

Everything of a Moslem is forbidden for another Moslem: his blood, wealth and reputation.(1)

And there is no doubt that slander lowers the reputation of a Moslem brother, and damages his honor.

It is noteworthy that in Holy Quran suspicion, spying, and slander are respectively forbidden where it says:

 

یا اَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا کَثِیراً مِنَ الظَّنِّ اِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ اِثْمٌ وَ لا تَجَسَّسُوا وَ لا یَغْتَبْ بَعْضُکُمْ بَعْضاً اَیُحِبُّ اَحَدُکُمْ اَنْ یَأْکُلَ لَحْمَ اَخِیهِ مَیْتاً فَکَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَ اتَّقُوا اللهَ اِنَّ اللهَ تَوّابٌ رَحِیمٌ).

O believers, eschew much suspicion; some suspicion is a sin. And do not spy, neither backbite one another; would any of you like to eat the flesh of his brother dead? You would abominate it. And fear you God; assuredly God turns, and He is All-compassionate.(2)

And this interpretation may indicate that first a man is involved in suspicion, and suspicion leads him to spying, and spying too ends in revealing hidden faults of individuals and this is the source of slander.

2- Slander is not compatible with belief

As it is stipulated in Barae tradition:

خَطَبَنا رَسُولُ اللهِ (صلى الله علیه وآله) حَتَّى اسْتَمَعَ الْعَوائِقُ فِی بُیُوتِها فَقالَ: «یا مَعْشَرَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِلِسانِهِ وَ لَمْ یُؤْمِنْ بِقَلْبِهِ لا تَغْتابُوا الْمُسْلِمِینَ وَ لا تَتَّبِعُوا عَوْراتِهِمْ فَاِنَّهُ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ عَوْرَةَ اَخِیهِ تَتَبَّعَ اللهُ عَوْرَتَهُ وَ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ اللهُ عَوْرَتَهُ یَفْضَحُهُ وَ لَوْ فِی جَوْفِ بَیْتِهِ».

Barae says: Prophet S.A. spoke for us, and so loudly that even the girls in the houses too heard. He said: O the group who has believed by tongue, but not by heart! Do not slander about a Moslem, and do not spy their secret affairs, the one who is curious for the secret affairs of his religious brothers, God shall reveal his own secret affairs and scandalizes him inside his own house.(3)

The point of non-compatibility of slander with the spirit of belief may indicate that the first sign of belief is observing the right of a believer, and this is in contradiction with slander.

3- Slander is considered as spreading obscenity

Imam Sadegh A.S. said:

«مَنْ قالَ فِی مُؤْمِن ما رَأَتْهُ عَیْناهُ وَ سَمِعَتْهُ اُذُناهُ فَهُوَ مِنَ الَّذِینَ قالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: ( اِنَّ الَّذِینَ یُحِبُّونَ اَنْ تَشِیعَ الْفاحِشَةُ فِی الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذابٌ اَلِیمٌ)».

One who says what he has seen and heard about a believer, is among those that God has told about them: those who like the vices to spread among believers, there shall be a painful chastisement for them.(4)

The point of this issue is also clear, because considering that in most cases faults are included among religious faults, revealing hidden faults of people may cause the others to take impertinence and insolence for performing sin and disobedience, and consequently spreading obscenity.

4- The corruption of slander is more severe than adultery

In the famous tradition of Jaber and Abou Saeid Khadri, it is narrated from Prophet S.A.:

«اَلْغِیبَةُ اَشَدُّ مِنَ الزِّنا».

Slander is worse than adultery.(5)

The reason mentioned under this tradition for its severity is that an adulterer may be forgiven by God through repentance (because adultery is the Right of God), but the repentance of slanderer without satisfaction of the other party, will not be accepted (because it is the Right of People).

There may be another point in addition to above aspect as the reason for intensity of slander comparing with adultery, that is slander ruins the basis of unity, compassion, intimacy and good opinion in the society, and damages the society severely in this way,–as will be discussed later, but adultery does not have such influence despite of its significance.

 

5- Slander hinders acceptance of deeds and prayers

It is mentioned in Moaze tradition that sometimes deeds of servants shine as the sun's rays, and ascend to the heaven, but they are returned and beaten to the face of their owners, and an angel says:

«اَمَرَنِی رَبِّی اَنْ لا اَدَعَ عَمَلَ مَنْ یَغْتابُ النّاسَ یَتَجاوَزُ اِلى رَبِّی».

My Lord has instructed me to prevent reaching the goods deeds of slanderers towards My Lord.

This point may indicate that as it is inferred from different traditions, in general, deeds of those who are indebted to people will not be accepted by God, and as we know slander is a sort of transgression to people's rights and damaging the capital of their reputation.

6- Slander is not compatible with Islamic brotherhood

It is narrated from Prophet S.A.:

«لا تَحاسَدُوا وَ لا تَباغَضُوا وَ لا یَغْتَبْ بَعْضُکُمْ بَعْضاً وَ کُونُوا عِبادَ اللهِ اِخْواناً».

Do not envy and spite each other and do not slander about each other, and O, God's servants be brother with each other.(6)

It is understood from the last phrase that opposite point of envy, enmity and slander is God's servitude and Islamic brotherhood. It goes without saying that the first sign of brotherhood is kindness and intimacy, which could never be compatible with slander.

And pointing to those two great faults in the tradition may be for being among the causes of slander, because envy usually is the source of enmity and spite, and they too in their turn are the sources of slander.

7- Slander destroys good deeds

This sense is mentioned in different traditions. In a tradition from Imam Sadegh A.S. is narrated:

«اَلْغِیبَةُ حَرامٌ عَلى کُلِّ مُسْلِم... وَ الْغِیبَةُ تَأْکُلُ الْحَسَناتِ کَما تَأْکُلُ النّارُ الْحَطَبَ».

Slander is forbidden for each Moslem, and surely slander destroys good deeds as the fire destroys wood.(7)

And it is narrated in a tradition from Prophet S.A.:

«مَنْ کانَتْ لاَِخِیهِ عِنْدَهُ مَظْلَمَةٌ فِی عِرْض اَوْ مال فَلْیَسْتَحْلِلْها مِنْهُ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ یَأْتِیَ یَوْمٌ لَیْسَ هُنالِکَ دِینارٌ وَ لا دِرْهَمٌ اِنَّما یُؤْخَذُ مِنْ حَسَناتِهِ فَاِنْ لَمْ تَکُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ اُخِذَ مِنْ سَیِّئاتِ صاحِبِهِ فَزِیدَتْ عَلى سَیِّئاتِهِ».

One, who is indebted to his religious brother in respect to reputation or wealth, should seek his forgiveness, before that day in which there is not any Drachma and Dinar. In that day, it will be deducted from his good deeds, and if he does not have any good deed, the sins of other party will be added to his sins.(8)

Slander destroys good deeds probably because it destroys one of the greatest spiritual capitals of the one who is slandered about, that is his reputation, honor and social prestige, and since compensation of this Right of People is often impossible through material ways, thus Great God compensates it through spiritual affairs: He transfers goods deeds of the slanderer to the book of deeds of the slandered, and if he does not have any good deed, God transfers sins of the slandered to the book of deeds of the slanderer, and it is compensated to the same degree that reputation of that person is damaged through transfer of good deeds and sins.

8- Slander devaluates worships and services

It is realized from some traditions that slander is one of the factors invalidating ritual ablution and fasting.

God's Prophet S.A. says:

«اَلْجُلُوسُ فِی الْمَسْجِدِ انْتِظاراً لِلصَّلاةِ عِبادَةٌ ما لَمْ یُحْدِث; فَقِیلَ: یا رَسُولَ اللهِ! وَ مَا الْحَدَثُ؟ قالَ: الاِْغْتِیابُ»

Waiting in the mosque for prayer is worship, until a ritual impurity is not performed; it was questioned: what is ritual impurity? He said: slander!(9)

And somewhere else he says:

«وَ مَنِ اغْتابَ مُسْلِماً بَطَلَ صَوْمُهُ وَ نَقَضَ وُضُوءُهُ».

One, who slanders about a Moslem, his fasting and ritual ablution are broken.(10)

Its point may indicate that worship creates a condition of proximity to God and spiritual luminosity in man, and when he stains his tongue to slander after ritual ablution or when fasting, that spirituality is significantly decreased, and that individual falls down from the degree of proximity to God. In the above tradition, this sense is interpreted as violator (breaker).

9- Slander excludes man from God's protection and includes him in Satan's protection

As it is narrated from Imam Sadegh A.S. in the tradition of Mofzal Ebne Omar:

«مَنْ رَوى عَلى مُؤْمِن رِوایَةً یُرِیدُ بِها شَیْنَهُ وَ هَدْمَ مُرُوَّتِهِ لِیَسْقُطَ مِنْ اَعْیُنِ النّاسِ اَخْرَجَهُ اللهُ مِنْ ولایَتِهِ اِلى ولایَةِ الشَّیْطانِ فَلا یَقْبَلُهُ الشَّیْطانُ».

One who narrates with the purpose of backbiting and dishonoring a believer to be reproached before people, God shall evict him from His protection to Satan's protection, and Satan too does not accept him.(11)

Of course, this tradition is not merely concerned with slander. Rather, slander is one of its senses, because the purpose of slander in all individuals is destroying character of the other party and caviling at him, even indirectly.

But exclusion from God's protection according to the Quranic verses indicates that God, who leads and supervises believers and guides them from darkness into the light(12), will not lead such people anymore. Because protector means guide and leader as well as helper and assistant, as we read:

وَ ما کانَ لَهُمْ مِنْ اَوْلِیاءَ یَنْصُرُونَهُمْ مِن دُونِ اللهِ).

They have no protectors to help them, apart from God.(13)

And it is also mentioned in the sense of savior from humiliation as we read:

وَ لَمْ یَکُنْ لَهُ شَرِیکٌ فِی الْمُلْکِ وَ لَمْ یَکُنْ لَهُ وَلِیٌّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ).

Who has not any associate in the Kingdom, nor any protector (savior) out of humbleness.(14)

And it also means forgiver of sins as:

اَنْتَ وَلِیُّنا فَاغْفِرْ لَنا وَ ارْحَمْنا وَ اَنْتَ خَیْرُ الْغافِرِینَ).

Thou art our Protector; so forgive us and have mercy on us, for Thou art the best forgivers.(15)

Therefore, slanderers are deprived from all of these divine graces for being evicted from God's protection and entering Satan's protection.

And the phrase Satan too does not accept him may indicate that Satan can not undertake the responsibility of their protection and supervision, and thereby leaves them alone!

 

10- A part of ill effects of slander remains even after repentance!

It is stated in the traditions of Islamic leaders:

«اَوْحَى اللهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اِلى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرانَ اَنَّ الْمُغتابَ اِذا تابَ فَهُوَ آخِرُ مَنْ یَدْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ وَ اِنْ لَمْ یَتُبْ فَهُوَ اَوَّلُ مَنْ یَدْخُلُ النّارَ».

God inspired to Moses, son of Emran, that if the slanderer repents, he will be the last one entering paradise, and otherwise, he will be the first one entering the fire.(16)

The point of this tradition may represent that slander has both Right of God and Right of People aspects, and its Right of People aspect is more than other rights of people, because slander destroys the capital of people's reputation, the capital which in contrary with material capitals is often irrecoverable, and this causes the slanderer to be saved posterior than the others. On this account, in some traditions, dishonoring a Moslem is considered as the highest usury as Ense narrates from Prophet S.A.:

«اِنَّ اَرْبَى الرِّبا عِرْضُ الرَّجُلِ الْمُسْلِمِ».

The most critical usury is dishonoring a Moslem.(17)


1- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 251/5
2- The Chambers sura (49), verse 12
3- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 251/5
4- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 240/75
5- The same document, page 222
6- Mohaddes Nouri, Mostadrakol Vassael, 118/9
7- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 257/75
8- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 273/5
9- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 255/5
10- The same document, page 254
11- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 168/75
12- «اللهُ وَلِیُّ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا یُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُماتِ اِلَى النُّورِ»Cowsura(2), verse 257
13- Counsel sura (42), verse 46
14- The Night Journey sura (17), verse 111
15- The Heights sura (7), verse 155
16- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 222/75
17- Feise kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, page 254

 

 

 

Social and individual vices of slander The most important motives for slander
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