Backbiting is the easiest sin there is: all it needs is a mouth and a friend who is listening. The Quran compares it to eating your dead brother's flesh, and then asks you: would you like that? 49:12
From the Quran
وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ
From the Prophet ﷺ
«أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْغِيبَةُ» … «ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ»
Seen in the prophets
His brothers, not knowing who he was, said to his face: "If he stole, a brother of his stole before." Yusuf knew the truth and could have exposed them on the spot. Instead, "Yusuf kept it to himself and did not reveal it to them" 12:77.
Years later, with the whole family together again, he thanked Allah for taking him out of prison, and did not mention the well his brothers threw him into. He only said that Shaytan had come between him and his brothers 12:100. Not one word to shame them in front of their father.
The Prophet ﷺ defined a Muslim by the tongue first: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe" Bukhari 10.
What it is not
It is not only about lies. The Prophet ﷺ said that even when what you say is true, it is still backbiting, and when it is false it is worse Muslim 2589.
Today, in practice
When the group chat turns on someone who isn't there, change the subject.
Don't forward the screenshot.
Say about people only what you would say if they walked in right now.
Small, practical steps. This is friendly advice, not a ruling.
Your manner for the week
حِفْظُ اللِّسَان Guarding the tongue
Choose one manner and carry it for seven days. It is saved on this device only, nobody else sees it.
Their moments
Sources on this page
Quran 12:77Quran 12:100Quran 49:12Sahih al-Bukhari 10Sahih Muslim 2589
Quran meanings are given in plain English, close to the Arabic. Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com.