37/51. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2502 — A Word That Pollutes the Sea
The Hadith: "If You Were to Mix It into the Water of the Sea
Hadith About Backbiting and Harmful Words
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2502
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2502
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الأَقْمَرِ، عَنْ أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ، وَكَانَ، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ حَكَيْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً فَقَالَ " مَا يَسُرُّنِي أَنِّي حَكَيْتُ رَجُلاً وَأَنَّ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا " . قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ صَفِيَّةَ امْرَأَةٌ وَقَالَتْ بِيَدِهَا هَكَذَا كَأَنَّهَا تَعْنِي قَصِيرَةً . فَقَالَ " لَقَدْ مَزَجْتِ بِكَلِمَةٍ لَوْ مَزَجْتِ بِهَا مَاءَ الْبَحْرِ لَمُزِجَ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
I Told The Prophet (ﷺ) About A Man, So He Said: 'I Do Not Like To Talk About A Man, Even If I Were To Get This Or That (For Doing So). She Said: "I Said: 'O Messenger Of Allah! Safiyyah Is A Woman Who Is ..." And She Used Her Hand As If To Indicate That She Is Short - "So He Said: 'You Have Said A Statement Which, If It Were Mixed In With The Water Of The Sea, It Would Pollute It."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2502In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 88English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2502
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2502
This hadith about backbiting shows how serious a small comment can be. Aishah رضي الله عنها mentioned Safiyyah رضي الله عنها and indicated that she was short. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not treat it as a harmless remark. He said that her statement, if mixed with the water of the sea, would pollute it. The main message is clear: mocking, imitating, or pointing out another person's flaw is not light speech. The hadith on harmful words teaches that backbiting can happen through a few words or even a gesture. A Muslim should protect other people's dignity and avoid speech that lowers them in the eyes of others.
What we learn from this hadith
- Small remarks about someone’s body or flaw can carry serious harm.
- Gestures can also become harmful speech when they mock someone.
- A believer should not treat backbiting as a minor matter.
- Protecting another person’s dignity is part of guarding the tongue.
