Shaikhul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullāh) stated as gathered in Majmūʿ Al-Fatāwā (Vol. 14, page 399-400):1Ibn Taymiyyah Al-Harrānī (d. 768.H). Majmu’ah Al-Fatāwā (1st Ed., Vol. 14, pp 399-400). Riyadh, KSA: Maktabah Al-Obeikan.
And from the people are those who backbite by agreeing with those who he sits with, his companions and his family — whilst knowing that the one being backbitten is free of what they are saying, or that only some of what they are saying is true — but he thinks that if he forbids them [from their backbiting], then the gathering will come to an end, and the people of the gathering will be irritated with him, and they will avoid him. So he sees that agreeing with them is from amiable dealings, and pleasant companionship. So if they become angry [at the bickbitee], he also becomes angry due to their being angry — and so he follows them.
And from [the people] are those from whom emanates backbiting from many different angles. Sometimes it is from the angle of religiosity and righteousness so he says: “It is not my habit to mention anyone except with goodness, and I don’t like backbiting or lying — rather I only inform you [so you are aware] of his state.”
And he says: “Verily he’s a miskeen,”2The word “miskeen” carries the meaning of a person being poor, pitiable or unfortunate; and in this case it conveys disdain. or: “He is a good man,” — “but he possesses this fault or that fault.”
And perhaps he says: “Let’s stop talking about him, ask that Allāh forgives us and him” — and verily his intention is to diminish and undermine him. So they backbite using the facade of righteousness and religiosity, attempting to deceive Allāh just as they deceive the created ones. And we have seen from the people many variations of this, and that which resembles it.
And from [the people] is the one who elevates the status of another in order to elevate himself. So he says: “If only I supplicated in my prayer for so-and-so yesterday, then I would not be hearing that he has this fault or that fault” — intending to raise his own status, and diminishing the other person in front of those who would believe him.
Or he says: “So-and-so is slow-minded and has little understanding” — and his intention is self-praise, to establish his own knowledge, and that it be known that he is better than him.
And from them are those who carry envy alongside backbiting. So they they combine between two despicable affairs: backbiting and envy. So if a person is praised, he seeks to put an end to it as much as he can by way of diminishing him — either using the excuse of religiosity and righteousness, or from the angle of pure envy, transgression and revilement — all of this to cut off the praise from him.
Then you have from the people those who backbite from the angle of derision and jesting, so that he may laugh at other than himself by mocking him, mimicking him, and diminishing the one who is being mocked.
And from [the people] is the one who backbites using the facade of amazement, so he says: “I was amazed by so-and-so — how could he do such a thing?! And by so-and-so — how could he say such a thing and how could he do such a thing?!” And he exposes his name whilst expressing his amazement.
And from them is the one who displays sadness and he says: “So-and-so is a miskeen. I am deeply saddened by that which has befallen him, and that which has happened to him.”
And so, the person who hears him thinks that he is sad for him, and that he feels sorrow — whilst his heart is secretly delighted with what has happened, and if he could increase that person’s affliction, he would. And he may even mention these affairs in front of that person’s enemies so they may take satisfaction in it. And this, and other than it, are from the greatest of the diseases of the souls, and [attempted] deception of Allāh and His creation.
And from [the people] is the one who backbites using the facade of anger and forbiddance of evil, and so from this angle he displays aspects of flowery speech — and his true intent is not what he shows. And the aid of Allāh is sought.
Translated by Abdullāh Abdul-Wāhid Alam
:قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله
فمن الناس من يغتاب موافقة لجلسائه وأصحابه وعشائره مع علمه أن المغتاب بريء مما يقولون أو فيه بعض ما يقولون؛ لكن يرى أنه لو أنكر عليهم قطع المجلس واستثقله أهل المجلس ونفروا عنه فيرى موافقتهم من حسن المعاشرة وطيب المصاحبة وقد يغضبون فيغضب لغضبهم فيخوض معهم.
ومنهم من يخرج الغيبة في قوالب شتى. تارة في قالب ديانة وصلاح فيقول: ليس لي عادة أن أذكر أحدا إلا بخير ولا أحب الغيبة ولا الكذب؛ وإنما أخبركم بأحواله. ويقول: والله إنه مسكين أو رجل جيد؛ ولكن فيه كيت وكيت. وربما يقول: دعونا منه الله يغفر لنا وله؛ وإنما قصده استنقاصه وهضما لجنابه. ويخرجون الغيبة في قوالب صلاح وديانة يخادعون الله بذلك كما يخادعون مخلوقا؛ وقد رأينا منهم ألوانا كثيرة من هذا وأشباهه. ومنهم من يرفع غيره رياء فيرفع نفسه فيقول: لو دعوت البارحة في صلاتي لفلان؛ لما بلغني عنه كيت وكيت ليرفع نفسه ويضعه عند من يعتقده. أو يقول: فلان بليد الذهن قليل الفهم؛ وقصده مدح نفسه وإثبات معرفته وأنه أفضل منه. ومنهم من يحمله الحسد على الغيبة فيجمع بين أمرين قبيحين: الغيبة والحسد. وإذا أثنى على شخص أزال ذلك عنه بما استطاع من تنقصه في قالب دين وصلاح أو في قالب حسد وفجور وقدح ليسقط ذلك عنه. ومنهم من يخرج الغيبة في قالب تمسخر ولعب ليضحك غيره باستهزائه ومحاكاته واستصغار المستهزأ به. ومنهم من يخرج الغيبة في قالب التعجب فيقول تعجبت من فلان كيف لا يفعل كيت وكيت ومن فلان كيف وقع منه كيت وكيت وكيف فعل كيت وكيت فيخرج اسمه في معرض تعجبه. ومنهم من يخرج الاغتمام فيقول مسكين فلان غمني ما جرى له وما تم له فيظن من يسمعه أنه يغتم له ويتأسف وقلبه منطو على التشفي به ولو قدر لزاد على ما به وربما يذكره عند أعدائه ليشتفوا به. وهذا وغيره من أعظم أمراض القلوب والمخادعات لله ولخلقه. ومنهم من يظهر الغيبة في قالب غضب وإنكار منكر فيظهر في هذا الباب أشياء من زخارف القول وقصده غير ما أظهر. والله المستعان
