Fatwa ID: 02227

Answered by Molana Jamal Ahmed

Question:

It is often said if we slander, or backbite a person whether it's a Muslim, or a non-Muslim, we have to seek their forgiveness in order for Allah to forgive us. I know backbiting, it's only if they know you backbit them, so the questions below are more in connection with slander.

How would be approach the following, or are we still expected to seek

forgiveness we're confronted with the following dilemmas?

   * If the other person was a non-mahram women?

    * If the other person was an employer, and this would be your job at risk?

    * If the other person was someone you used to talk to on the Internet,

and no longer have their contact details?

Jazak'Allah.

Answer:

Backbiting is haram and one should ask forgiveness from the person he has backbitten. If the person in question does not know that he was talked about, then he should go and falsify his statements about him to the people he spoke to, in other words he should retract his words.

However, if that person dies then he should ask Allah to forgive that person, so that this may become an atonement for the ghibah he has committed.  (baihaqi).  Ma’arifulquran vol. 8 surah hujurat ayah no. 12. P. 122-123. Farid enterprise 1998.

Based on the above extract, if you have lost contact with the person you have slandered, you should seek his forgiveness from Allah. If the person in question is a non mahram woman, then it is not permissible to look at her face nor should you be alone with her due to the prevailing fitna except in cases of necessities.  Ma’arifulquran vol. 7 p. 218-219  Farid enterprise 1998

Thus, if you want to ask for forgiveness you can do so behind a veil, in writing, or by sending the message to her through a mahram.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Molana Jamal Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham