Is it haram to talk behind a non-muslim's back (to backbite)?
Submitted by on Sun, 09/08/2009 - 17:38
Dear Brother / Sister,
It is haram to talk behind a Muslim’s back (to backbite). It is definite.
However, as for the non-Muslim, there are two cases:
1 — The non-Muslims with whom we are in a state of war.
2 — The non-Muslims with whom we are in a state of peace. (Like the Christians and Jews of today.)
It is not haram to talk behind non-Muslims with whom we are in a state of war. It is necessary to talk badly about them to make the war favorable for us. There is no sin in doing it.
However, the case about non-Muslims with whom we are in a state of peace is not the same. It is permissible to talk behind their backs only by differentiating between them and their attributes. That is, it is not permissible to talk behind their backs as the perfect creatures that Allah created but to talk behind the back of the unbelief that they added to those creatures so that they will be afraid of unbelief. That is, it is not permissible to talk behind the back of people but their attributes.
We learn form the fatwas of Ghazali that there is no drawback to talking behind their backs because the aim is not to talk behind the back of people but to state that the wrong beliefs are bad.
As for the minorities among Muslims:
— All of their situations and states are under the guarantee of Islam like Muslims. The justice of the exalted Islam does not regard it permissible to talk behind the back of people that are under its protection.
Islam does not permit itself to fall into disrepute. Talking behind their backs except for the situations stated above is haram. If one has talked behind their backs, he should apologize to them and ask for forgiveness.
Questions on Islam
- Is it permissible to talk behind an unbeliever’s back (to backbite him)?
- Is it permissible to backbite non-muslims?
- The Muslims working in countries like Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands deposit their money in banks in order to keep them. Is it permissible to receive the interest given by the banks?
- Is it permissible to sell alcoholic drinks to non-Muslims in Dar al-Harb?
- Is it permissible to get a loan from a non-Islamic country and escape without repaying it?
- What are the criteria for social intercourse with non-Muslims? Is it permissible to be business partners with them?
- Is it permissible for Muslims to eat the food that is offered by a non- muslim which s/he brought from their worship places?
- How can we answer the criticisms by non-Muslims related to the concepts of jihad (holy war) and fath (conquering)?
- Can muslim sell pork, alcohol?
- Is it haram to receive and give interest in dar al-harb? Is interest permissible in non-Muslim countries?