Conclusion

On Ghiybah

بِاسْمِهِ وَاِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ اِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ

In the Fifth Point of the First Ray of the First Light of the Twenty-Fifth Word, a single âyah — given as an example for the station of condemnation and restraint — miraculously instils repulsion toward ghiybah in six distinct aspects. Since this has fully demonstrated how abhorrent ghiybah is in the eyes of the Qur'an, it leaves no need for further explanation. Indeed, after the explanation of the Qur'an, no further explanation is possible, nor is there any need for it.

Here, the âyah

اَيُحِبُّ اَحَدُكُمْ اَنْ يَاْكُلَ لَحْمَ اَخِيهِ مَيْتًا 1

condemns denouncement in six degrees and severely restrains from ghiybah on six levels. When this âyah is directed at those who actually engage in ghiybah, its meaning is as follows:

It is well-known that the interrogative hamza ( أ ) at the beginning of the âyah conveys the meaning of questioning (âyâ). This interrogative meaning penetrates every word of the âyah like water. Therefore, within every word, there is an implicit judgment.

Thus, the first is this: through the hamza, the âyah says, "Do you not possess a mind — the seat of question and answer — such that it fails to comprehend such an ugly thing?”

The second, through the word

يُحِبُّ 2

the âyah says, "Has your heart — the seat of love and hatred — been so corrupted and rotten that it loves the most detestable thing?"

The third, through the word

اَحَدُكُمْ 3

the âyah says, "What has happened to your social life and civilisation, which draw their very life from the community (jamâ’ah), such that they accept an act that poisons your very existence in this way?"

The fourth, through the phrase

اَنْ يَاْكُلَ لَحْمَ 4

the âyah says, "What has happened to your humanity such that you savagely tear apart your friend with your teeth?"

The fifth, through the word

اَخِيهِ 5

the âyah says, "Have you no compassion for your own kind, no regard for the bonds of sila ar-rahm,6 such that you mercilessly and unjustly bite the ma’nawî personality of a wronged person who is your brother in so many aspects? And do you not possess a mind such that you madly bite your own limbs with your own teeth?"

The sixth, through the word

مَيْتًا 7

the âyah says, “Where is your conscience (vijdân)? Has your fitrah been so corrupted and rotten that you commit the most abhorrent act — eating his flesh — against a brother of yours who is in the most venerable state?”

Thus, through the explicit statement of this âyah and the distinct indications of each of its words: denouncement and ghiybah are abhorred and condemned in terms of intellect, heart, humanity, conscience (vijdân), fiṭrah and nationhood. Here, look! How this âyah, through its concise phrasing, denounces denouncement on six levels and, with inimitably miraculous eloquence, deters from that crime in six degrees.

Ghiybah is a vile weapon most frequently employed by the people of hostility, envy and obstinacy. An honourable person would never stoop to using such a filthy weapon. As a renowned figure once said,

اُكَبِّرُ نَفْسِى عَنْ جَزَاءٍ بِغِيْبَةٍ ٭ فَكُلُّ اِغْتِيَابٍ جَهْدُ مَنْ لاَ لَهُ جَهْدٌ

That is, "I hold myself far above punishing my enemy through ghiybah, and I do not stoop to it. For ghiybah is the weapon of the weak, the despised and the ignoble."

Ghiybah is defined as follows: If the person being talked about were present and were to hear it, he would feel displeasure and take offence. If what is said is true, it is ghiybah itself. If it is false, it is both ghiybah and slander (iftirâ’) — a double-fold, hideous sin.

Ghiybah can be permissible (jâiz) in a few specific cases:

First: One speaks by way of complaint to an authorised official, so that the official may assist in eliminating that wrong and offence, and retrieve his right from the wrongdoer.

Second: A person wishes to enter into a partnership with someone and consults (mashwarah) you. If you say, purely for the sake of preventing harm and without malice, to fulfil the duty of consultation: "Do not enter into partnership with him, for you will suffer harm."

Third: When the purpose is not to insult or expose, but rather to describe and identify, if one says: "That limping and ragged man went to such-and-such a place."

Fourth: The person being talked about is a fâsiq al-mutajâhir. That is, he feels no shame over his wrongdoing; rather, he takes pride in the sins he commits, derives pleasure from his dhulm and commits it openly without any embarrassment.

Thus, in these specific cases, ghiybah can be permissible (jâiz) if it is done without malice and purely for the sake of haqq and preventing harm. Otherwise, just as fire consumes wood, ghiybah consumes good deeds (‘amâl as-sâlihah).

If a person has committed ghiybah or listened to it willingly, then he should say,

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْلَنَا وَ لِمَنِ اغْتَبْنَاهُ 8

and whenever he crosses paths with the one being talked about, he should say, "Forgive me for the wrong I have done to you and release me from your rights."

اَلْبَاقِى هُوَ الْبَاقِى

Said Nursî