The Evil of Backbiting the Scholars and Leaders

Know that backbiting increases in ignominy and sin in commensurate with what it leads to. Backbiting an ordinary person among the people is not like backbiting a scholar, or a leader; a director or a minister, or the likes. This is because backbiting those in authorities, whether the position is small or big, is worse than backbiting the one that has no authority, control or guardianship. This is because if you backbite an ordinary person, the harm will affect him alone. But if you backbite one who is in the position of authority you will harm him and those whom he exercises control over among the Muslims.

For example, assuming you backbite a scholar among the scholars, there is no doubt that such is an act of oppression to him in person just like every other Muslim. In addition, you have greatly harmed the Sharee'ah which he bears. A learned person is the bearer of the Sharee'ah. So if you backbite him, he becomes little in the eyes of the people, the people will not accept his sayings (again). And they will not turn to him in their religious affairs and whatever truth he might say will become doubtful (in the sight of people) because you have backbitten him. This is a great crime against the Sharee'ah.

This also applies to the leaders; if you backbite a leader, a king or a head, and the likes; it is not an act of backbiting that affects his person alone. Rather, it is an act of backbiting against him and destruction to his government. This is because when you backbite a leader, a minister, or a king, it means that you are creating hatred of him in the hearts of the subjects. And when you create hatred in the hearts of the subjects against their leader, you have caused a great damage, because this will lead to the spread of confusion among the people, and disunity among them.

Today it could be verbal exchange and tomorrow, throwing of arrows. This is because when the hearts are filled with enmity and hatred towards the leaders, it becomes impossible for it (the heart) to comply with their (i.e. the leader’s) commands. When he (the leader) commands what is good, it (the heart) will see it as evil.

Someone may say, ‘I want to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil!’ We say, your intention is good, but the best way to a house is its door. Spreading the faults of your leaders is not a (proper) way of enjoining good and forbidding evil because such only increases evil. People will no longer have trust in the discharge of duty of any other person. If a scholar says: ‘Such-and-such act is despicable.’ They (will) say: ‘Put that aside.’ If a leader says: ‘This is vile,’ and he tries to prevent people from it. They will say: ‘No, you have not corrected yourself let alone correcting others.’ Such can cause a great havoc among the Muslims.

O brothers, my advice to you and myself is to keep away from backbiting, and to keep away from discussing the evil aspects of those in authorities of the scholars and rulers and others. If you want to attain goodness and (a better way of) correction, the door is open and the means are available. Get in touch with one another physically; get in touch through other channels of communication if you cannot see one-on-one. Then when you have rendered your obligation, you are not responsible for whatever happens thereafter. Further, know O my brother; does your backbiting the scholars or the leaders bring any good? Definitely not! It is the actual perversion that brings nothing but difficulty; and which no act of injustice or corruption can be removed through it.

Source: Sharh Riyaadh as-Saaliheen, vol. 4, pp. 63-65