37/51. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2503 — Do Not Talk About People
The Hadith: "If You Were to Mix It into the Water of the Sea
Hadith About Talking About People in Islam
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2503
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2503
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الأَقْمَرِ، عَنْ أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا أُحِبُّ أَنِّي حَكَيْتُ أَحَدًا وَأَنَّ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَأَبُو حُذَيْفَةَ هُوَ كُوفِيٌّ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَيُقَالُ اسْمُهُ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ صُهَيْبَةَ .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "I Do Not Like To Talk About Anyone, Even If I Were To Get This Or That."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2503In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 89English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2503
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2503
This hadith about talking about people teaches a simple rule for the tongue. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that he did not like to talk about anyone, even if he were to receive such and such in return. The wording shows that harmful mention of another person should not be traded for benefit, attention, or reward. This narration is close in meaning to the warning against backbiting and gossip. It reminds the believer that people are not topics for careless talk. When speech harms someone's image, it is safer to leave it. The lesson is to value clean speech more than personal gain or social approval.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not use people’s faults as a subject of conversation.
- No worldly gain is worth harmful speech about someone.
- A believer should avoid gossip even when others enjoy it.
- Clean speech is part of good character.
