Slander and Backbiting
Total Hadiths 4
What Prophetic Hadiths Teach Us About Slander and Backbiting
According to Islamic scholars, protecting the reputation of community members is a foundational principle in Islam, and spreading false rumors carries severe consequences. The provided prophetic narrations recount the profound trial of the Ifk (the slander against Aisha), detailing how the spread of fabricated rumors caused immense emotional distress until divine revelation established her complete innocence. Upon receiving this divine vindication, the Prophet mounted the pulpit, recited the newly revealed Quranic verses to the community, and ordered the prescribed legal punishments for slandering to be carried out against the key individuals involved, specifically two men and a woman who participated in spreading the obscenity. These accounts demonstrate that making false accusations is a major transgression that demands accountability, while also showing the beauty of forgiveness, as Abu Bakr resumed supporting a relative involved in the incident after Allah revealed verses encouraging pardoning.
حَدَّثَنَا النُّفَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَ فَأَمَرَ بِرَجُلَيْنِ وَامْرَأَةٍ مِمَّنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِالْفَاحِشَةِ حَسَّانَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ وَمِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ . قَالَ النُّفَيْلِيُّ وَيَقُولُونَ الْمَرْأَةُ حَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ .
The tradition mentioned above (No. 4459) has also been transmitted by Muhammad ibn Ishaq through a different chain of narrators. But he did not mention Aisha. This version has: He (the Prophet) commanded regarding the two men and the woman who spoke obscenity were Hassan ibn Thabit and Mistah ibn Uthathah. An-Nufayl said: It is said that the woman was Hammah daughter of Jahsh.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4475In-book reference : Book 40, Hadith 125English translation : Book 39, Hadith 4460
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نُعْمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ، صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ قَذَفَ مَمْلُوكَهُ وَهْوَ بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا قَالَ، جُلِدَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ كَمَا قَالَ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
I heard Abu-l-Qasim (the Prophet) saying, "If somebody slanders his slave and the slave is free from what he says, he will be flogged on the Day of Resurrection unless the slave is really as he has described him."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6858In-book reference : Book 86, Hadith 80USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 82, Hadith 841
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الثَّقَفِيُّ، وَمَالِكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ الْمِسْمَعِيُّ، - وَهَذَا حَدِيثُهُ - أَنَّ ابْنَ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَهُمْ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها قَالَتْ لَمَّا نَزَلَ عُذْرِي قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَذَكَرَ ذَاكَ وَتَلاَ - تَعْنِي الْقُرْآنَ - فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْمِنْبَرِ أَمَرَ بِالرَّجُلَيْنِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ فَضُرِبُوا حَدَّهُمْ .
A'isha Narrated from:
When my vindication came down, the Prophet (ﷺ) mounted the pulpit and mentioned that, and recited the Qur'an. Then when he came down from the pulpit he ordered regarding the two men and the woman, and they were given the prescribed punishment.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 4474In-book reference : Book 40, Hadith 124English translation : Book 39, Hadith 4459
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ لَمَّا نَزَلَ عُذْرِي قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ وَتَلاَ الْقُرْآنَ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ أَمَرَ بِرَجُلَيْنِ وَامْرَأَةٍ فَضُرِبُوا حَدَّهُمْ .
A'isha Narrated from:
When my innocence was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood on the pulpit and mentioned that, and he recited Quran. When he came down, he ordered that the legal punishment (of slandering) be carried out on two men and a woman.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2567In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 35English translation : Vol. 3, Book 20, Hadith 2567
