Backbiting, Lies, and Idle Talk – A Universal Prohibition
Human societies develop and progress on the foundation of mutually agreed principles and values. On the contrary, deviation from them leads to disorder, corruption, and the following of Satan’s footsteps.
In some societies, people fall prey to these very vices in the race to “break the news first.” This is not limited to media or social media; it is a historical reality as well, whose prohibition has been emphasized not only in Islamic teachings but also in other religions, and by sages and philosophers throughout history.
Remember, the Qur’an and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ strictly forbid these evils. For example, the prohibition of backbiting in the Qur’an is stated as follows:
“And would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest it.”
(Surah Al-Hujurat 49:12)
Thus, it is made clear that backbiting is such a detestable and repulsive act that it is likened to eating the flesh of one’s dead brother.
Let us try to understand these values further in the light of Hadith:
1. Definition of Backbiting
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Backbiting is to mention about your brother something that he dislikes.”
The Companions asked: “What if that is really in him?”
He ﷺ replied: “If it is in him, you have backbitten him; and if it is not in him, you have slandered him.”
(Muslim 2589)
2. Avoiding Idle and Useless Talk
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him.”
(Tirmidhi 2317)
3. Guarding the Tongue
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever guarantees me (control over) what is between his jaws (his tongue) and what is between his legs (his private parts), I will guarantee him Paradise.”
(Bukhari 6474)
From these teachings, we can understand the importance of Islamic values. Islam gives us very clear principles:
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Truthfulness: Do not spread anything without verification. (Al-Hujurat 49:6)
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Goodness: Speak only that which spreads goodness and love. (Al-Ahzab 33:70)
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Benefit: Say only what is useful; otherwise, silence is better.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
The Wisdom of Luqman the Wise
In the Qur’an, Allah mentions that He granted wisdom to Luqman. (Surah Luqman 31:12)
In exegesis and narrations, his advice is recorded:
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On Truthfulness:
“O my son, always speak the truth so that people may trust you.” -
On Avoiding Backbiting:
“My son, before pointing out the faults of others, look at your own shortcomings.” -
On Avoiding Idle Speech:
“If speech does not bring wisdom, then silence is better.”
Socrates – The Greek Philosopher
Socrates, famous for his wisdom, explained this with his Three Sieves Test.
When someone came to him saying, “Do you want to hear what I’ve heard about your friend?” Socrates calmly raised his hand and said:
“Wait… Before you speak, let us filter your words through three sieves.”
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First sieve – Truth: “Are you sure what you are about to say is true?”
The man replied: “No, I only heard it from here and there.” -
Second sieve – Goodness: “Does it say anything good about my friend?”
“No, rather the opposite,” said the man. -
Third sieve – Usefulness: “Will it be useful to me?”
“In fact… no.”
Socrates smiled and said:
“If what you want to tell me is not true, not good, and not useful… then why say it at all?”
This simple filter protects our hearts and relationships, brightens our lives, and fosters goodness in society.
Teachings of Confucius – The Chinese Philosopher
Confucius’ philosophy was rooted in ethics and social values:
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On Truth:
“The man who lacks truthfulness cannot be trusted, even in small matters.” -
On Avoiding Backbiting:
“Great people speak well of others; small people point out the faults of others.” -
On Idle Talk:
“The wise man speaks with thought and only utters words that bring goodness.”
Global Proverbs & Sayings on These Vices
📌 On Backbiting
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Arabic proverb: “Man naqala ilayka naqala ‘anka.”
(Whoever brings you someone’s words will also carry your words to others.) -
English proverb:
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
📌 On Lying
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Persian proverb: “The liar has no memory.”
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English proverb: “A lie has no legs.”
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African proverb: “A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.”
📌 On Idle Talk
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Arabic proverb: “If speech is silver, then silence is gold.”
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Chinese proverb: “Silence is a source of great strength.”
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Indian proverb: “Silence is the strongest argument.”
✨ From this reflection, we see that Islamic teachings, Luqman the Wise, Confucius, Socrates, and world traditions all point to the same truth:
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Embrace truthfulness
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Avoid backbiting and evil speech
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Prefer silence over useless talk
Imagine how much reform and positivity can flourish in society if we all lived by these values!
With prayers,
Muhammad Ifrahim Butt
