In the same manner as backbiting is prohibited, so also is listening to it. Indeed, as some traditions indicate, the listener is like the backbiter in all the evil aspects—so much so that his act is a grave sin carrying an obligation to seek forgiveness from the victim. The Prophet (s) said: “The listener is one of the two backbiters.” Al-Fayd al-Kashani, Al-Mahajjat al-Bayda, vol. 5, p. 260 Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) narrated from the Noble Messenger (s) who is once said to have forbidden both backbiting and listening to it. Then he (s) said: “Lo, whoever does a favour to his brother by refuting his backbiting upon hearing it in a gathering, God shall save him from a thousand kinds of evils in this world and in the Hereafter. And if he does not do so despite his ability to refute it, on him shall be the burden of one who commits his backbiting seventy times.” Al-Hurr al-`Amili, Wasail al-Shi`ah, vol. 8, hadith no. 16316 Among the more subtle forms of backbiting is listening to it with amazement. Such a person expresses his amazement in order to make the backbiter more lively in his descriptions. His amazement encourages the latter in his evil act. For instance, he will say, “Strange” or “Astaghfirullah!”. Or he might say, “I didnt know that!” or “I didnt know he would do such a thing!” These expressions are meant to affirm the backbiters statements and to encourage him to add something more. These acts are in fact the Devils artifices. Surely, to affirm backbiting is also backbiting; as is to listen to it, or even to remain silent upon hearing it. al-Shahid al-Thanis Discourse as quoted in Forty Hadith by Ayatullah Khumayni
Posted on: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 15:46:04 +0000
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