A Gift For You [— Episode 11 —]

 

A Gift For You
[— Episode 11 —]

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Listen carefully, my brother and my sister.

Your good deeds are like a beautiful garden. Every prayer, every charity, and every act of kindness is like a strong, healthy tree growing in that garden.

But there is a fire that can burn that entire garden to ashes in seconds.

That fire is your tongue.

Yes!

When you speak about a Muslim in their absence in a way they would dislike, you are digging a grave. Yes, you are digging a grave for your own good deeds. You then throw your beautiful deeds into that grave and watch them burn. They can disappear as quickly as fire consumes dry leaves.

It does not matter whether what you said is true. If the person would dislike hearing it, it is backbiting (Gheebah). It is a grave sin.

But if what you said is not true, then it is even worse. It is slander (Buhtan)—a serious sin that can destroy individuals, families, and communities.

Think about how this disease appears in our time:

You see a brother and a sister somewhere, and your mind tells you, “They must have done something bad.” You then repeat it to others without evidence.

That is a false accusation and a serious sin.

A sister is sick, and you say, “She must be pregnant,” or, “She must have had an abortion.”

That is slander.

A sister visits her family, and you say, “Her husband has sent her away.”

That is slander.

You see someone living a simple life, and you mock their clothes or belongings, saying, “Look at how few clothes they have.”

That is backbiting.

A brother or sister is unmarried, and you say, “What is this person still doing without getting married?”

That is also backbiting.

In fact, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked his Companions:

“Do you know what backbiting is?”

They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”

He said:

“It is to mention about your brother something he would dislike.”

A Companion asked, “What if what I say is true?”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“If what you say about him is true, you have backbitten him; and if it is not true, you have slandered him.”

📚 Source: Sahih Muslim 2589

And here is something even more frightening:

On the Day of Judgment, a person may come with prayers, fasting, charity, and many other good deeds—only to find that their good deeds are being given to the people they wronged.

If their good deeds run out, the sins of those people may be placed upon them.

This is the reality of the bankrupt person described by the Prophet ﷺ.

All because of things they said so easily in this world.

May Allah protect us from such a fate. Ameen.

Furthermore, do not think that the sin belongs only to the person speaking.

If you sit and listen to people backbite others without stopping them or leaving the conversation, you are participating in something sinful.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The listener is one of the two backbiters.”

📚 Reported as an authentic narration

Allah SWT also praises those who turn away from vain and harmful speech:

“And when they hear ill speech, they turn away from it...”

📖 Qur’an 28:55

So, guard your tongue as carefully as you guard your life.

Before you speak about someone who is not present, ask yourself:

“Would this person be hurt if they heard me saying this?”

“Would I say it if they were standing right in front of me?”

If the answer is no, then remain silent.

Do not allow your tongue to destroy the garden of good deeds you have worked so hard to grow.

Do not arrive on the Day of Judgment bankrupt, having your good deeds transferred to others because of words you thought were harmless.

If you hear something unpleasant about someone, do not spread it.

Stop it.

If you hear an accusation, do not repeat it without evidence.

If an evil thought crosses your mind, fight it.

Do not give it a voice.

The person you are speaking about is your brother or sister in faith. Their honour is sacred.

Your tongue can build someone up, or it can destroy them.

Guard your tongue. It may be the very thing that saves you.

To be continued...