OMG, did you hear....??!!

My name is Gossip.

I have no respect for Justice.

I aim without Killling.

I break hearts & ruin Lives.

I am cunning & malicious and gather strength with age.

The more i am quoted, the more i am believed.

My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because i have no name and no face.

To track me down is impossible.

The harder you try, the more elusive i become.

I am nobody's friend. Once i tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.

I topple governments and wreck marriages.

I ruin careers, and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion.

I make people cry in their pillows.

Even my name hisses.

I am called Gossip.

I make headlines and headaches.

Before you repeat me, ask yourself:
is it true?...is it harmless?...is it necessary?
If i am not,
don't repeat me.
(Anonymous)

Yep, Gossip. Backbiting. Slander.
All very common, especially in our Asian communities. You can't go to the corner shop without seeing a huddle of women - and surprisingly enough, even Men! - one woman talking frantically, the others listening avidly. Its usually a juicy tidbit someone HEARD about someone else. Most of the time the story has been fabricated, or wildly elaborated and exaggerated over, and even if it's true, if the person being talked about were to hear it, she/he would be hurt and upset over it.
In our communities? People just can't keep their 'noses' to themselves. Curtains twitch every time someone passes, tongues wag when some calamity befalls an unfortunate person, and the wagging tongues are not sympathetic, oh No, that they aren't.
Ever heard of the German term ' Schadenfreude ? ' No? well let me tell you what the meaning of this word is.
1) Malicious joy, OR
2)Malicious pleasure, OR
3)Taking a perverse pleasure in someone's misfortune.

There you have it. And thats what seems to be behind all this backstabbing/Gossip/Slander, Malicious pleasure. People gossip to feel better about themselves, whilst looking down upon others. Some do it because its a past time, not realizing its a huge mega sin. Others are just plain catty and have disgustingly messed up natures.
Some gossip and slander,when they themselves have a fault exposed (not through gossip or slander, but maybe through a failed marriage ) and not wanting to be out done or to be looked at askance, they make up tall tales of their ex- partner.
Or pure and simple (but burning) jealousy sometimes motivates a person in slandering and gossiping.

Lets now look at some Ahadith on this subject.
It is related that Ibn Abbas said; The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him passed by two graves and said; ' They are being punished, but they are not being punished for anything that was difficult to avoid. One of them used to walk about spreading malicious gossip ( Nameemah) and the other used not to take pre-caution to avoid getting u rine on himself when he urina ted. '
( Al-Bukhari, 213, Muslim, 292)

The Prophet Muhammad once said:
Oh Ka'ba! Indeed, you are sacred; nevertheless, the sanctity of a Muslims wealth and honour is much greater than yours.

Comprehende? If the sanctity of a Muslims honour is more than that of the Ka'aba, then how can we slander others and gossip so easily?

We need to stand straight, and realize that gossip and slander is no small thing, its a huge sin we will be punished for. Telling the truth about someone in a situation that calls for nothing else is different, but to retaliate and lie like a coward, to gossip about someone you barely know, to hurt a fellow Muslims feelings....Quit it. We are Muslims, we should wear our faith like a badge of honour, and BE Muslims. Its easy to say ' I am a Muslim' but its not so easy living up to it. But hey, is their ever any harm in trying. Nope, indeed, their isn't. So, try-:)

That was not meant to be a lecture, it came straight from the heart.
The next time we lie, Gossip, backbite, slander, ruin an in nocent persons chances in Marriage, in businesses, in exams, the next time we try to sully a persons character, stop and think.....

Would i ever think of breaking the Ka'aba?