Namimah (tale-bearing)

Namimah (tale-bearing) is, in the lexicon, going between people to stir strife; in the term, carrying a speech from its speaker to another in order to cause harm. The jurists count it among the grave sins, forbidden by the Qur'an, the Sunna and consensus. ^{1 2}

In the lexicon, namimah is going between people to stir strife; a man "tale-bore" a saying when he went about to stir discord or distrust. In the term it is carrying speech from its speaker to another to cause harm. Al-Ghazali defines it as disclosing what its subject dislikes being disclosed, whether he, the one told, or a third party dislikes it, by speech, writing, sign or gesture. ¹ Backbiting (ghiba). Mentioning someone with what he dislikes of faults; backbiting is narrower, since namimah is carrying speech from one person to another whether the subject dislikes it or not. ²

Tale-bearing is a grave sin, forbidden by the Qur'an ("do not obey every mean swearer, a slanderer going about with tale-bearing"), by the Sunna ("the tale-bearer does not enter Paradise", and the report of Ibn Abbas on the two punished in their graves, one of whom "went about with tale-bearing"), and by consensus. The jurists count it a grave sin absolutely, even without intent to cause strife. ²

He must repent to God, with remorse for what he did, to leave God's right. ³ It is recommended to perform ablution after foul speech; Ibn Mas'ud said "I would rather perform ablution for an evil word than for a good meal", and Aisha said similar. Al-Shirazi reads these as the lawful ablution; al-Shashi says the words of al-Shafi'i indicate the lawful ablution, for the purpose of expiating sins. ³

(1) Not to believe him, since the tale-bearer is a wrongdoer whose testimony is rejected, on the verse "if a wrongdoer brings you news, verify it". (2) To forbid him, advise him and disapprove of his speech, on the verse "command what is right and forbid what is wrong", and on the hadith "shall I tell you what the slander is? It is tale-bearing, carrying words between people". Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, when a man reported another's words to him, told him that if he was lying he was of those in the verse on the wrongdoer, and if he was truthful he was of those in the verse on the slanderer; Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr said that accepting a report is worse than the report itself. The Prophet's saying "let no one bring me word of another among my companions, for I would go to them with a clean heart" is cited. (3) To hate him for God's sake. (4) Not to think ill of the one reported, on the verse "avoid much suspicion". (5) Not to let what he was told lead him to spy and search, on the verse "do not spy". (6) Not to accept for himself what he has been forbidden. ⁴

Seventh: not to repeat the tale-bearer's tale. Do not say "so-and-so told me such and such", for then you are a tale-bearer and a backbiter, and have done what you were forbidden. ⁵

The Sheikh advises against becoming a tale-bearer, since nobody likes a tale-bearer, and asks his listeners whether any of them likes the person who carries words around ⁶.

The Sheikh describes an employee who carries whatever is said in the office to the manager within minutes, so that everyone in the office is wary of him ⁷.

The Sheikh relates that the people of Musa complained that the rain had not fallen, and God told Musa that there was a sinner among them who was holding back the water and that He would not send it down until he left (needs_source) ⁸.

He continues that Musa repeated his plea, saying the sinner had not left; the doors of the sky opened with water, and Musa wondered and asked his Lord how the water could come down when the sinner had not left (needs_source) ⁹.

He says God answered that the man had repented in what lay between him and his Lord; Musa wanted to know the penitent in order to learn from him, and God said that He had concealed him while he sinned and would not expose him now that he had repented, and that since He forbids tale-bearing He would not be a tale-bearer Himself (needs_source) ¹⁰.

The Sheikh holds that carrying words in order to harm people is a trait we should be rid of, and that when a believer sees a sin he should dislike the sin without hating the sinner as a person ¹¹.

The Sheikh holds, as his own opinion, that each person is answerable for what he says, and he asks whether people realise they will be held to account for all of it, naming gossip among the harms that speech does to people (needs_source: the examples) ¹². He recounts that Sa'd prayed against a man who spread lies about him, asking God to reveal the truth if the man was truthful and to show a sign against him if he was lying (needs_source: the details of the episode) ¹³.

He holds, as his own opinion, that slander, mockery and defamation are trials that keep the heart attached to God alone ¹⁴.

The Sheikh says that our scholars advised guarding the tongue, and that tale-bearing and backbiting breed resentment and envy among relatives, neighbours and colleagues. ¹⁵ He defines namimah as carrying words between people so as to cause corruption, and says that Muslim homes now broadcast one another's affairs. ¹⁶

He criticises gossip and slander, and cites a hadith on the believer who eats what is good and does not harm what he touches. ¹⁷ He says that much talk drifts into tale-bearing, and that speech which harms no one is permissible. ¹⁸ A listener asks whether discussing what others cook or buy is backbiting; the Sheikh answers that one should avoid talk that harms anyone and speak only of what benefits. ¹⁹ He criticises those who collect news about their colleagues and managers at work. ²⁰

The speaker's view is that one who has spoken about an absent person should pray for him, and that such prayers are entered in the good deeds of the one who prays. ²¹