According to Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that (once) the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked:
“Do you know what is backbiting? Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like. If (that failing or fault) is actually found (in him) in what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander (false accusation).”
This hadeeth was given by Ahmad (2/384), Muslim (2589), Abu Dawud (4874), at-Tirmizi (1934).
Hadith authentic. See “Sahih al-Jami ‘al-sagir” (86), “Sahih al-Targ’ib wa-t-tarhib” (2844), “Mishkatul-masabih” (4828), “Mukhtasar Muslim” (1806).
Grade: صحيح
أتَدْرُونَ ما الغِيبَةُ؟ ذِكْرُكَ أخاكَ بما يَكْرَهُ إنْ كانَ فيه ما تقولُ فقد اغتَبْتَهُ وإنْ لم يَكُنْ فيه فقد بَهتَّهُ
(حم م د ت) عن أبي هريرة.)