Backbiting an Unknown Person

19-10-2022 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu alaikum. I happen to backbite someone without knowing that he is actually a Muslim. I live in a kaffir country. What's the ruling for that? Am I sinful? Will I be held accountable?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If the mentioned person is personally unknown to you and to those you backbit him in their presence, be he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim, then this is not a forbidden backbiting, according to the view of Muslim scholars. However, a Muslim should guard his tongue against useless speech based on Prophetic guidance in the Hadith of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent.” [Agreed upon] For more information, kindly see Fatwa 227230 in the Arabic section.

Allah knows the best.

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