Backbiting According to Qāḍī 'Abd al-Jabbar

Abstract

It is common for people to talk about each other in the natural course of life. Backbiting is the circulation of unpleasant words in someone else's absence which, if heard, would upset them. The habituation of such a negative behavior is a serious problem for the individual and society. It is also one of the main causes of personality disorder as an unhealthy communication problem. It is also an immoral attitude that prevents the maintenance of trust-based relationships and the continuity of social consensus. In this respect, Qāḍī ʿAbd al-Jabbār addresses this problem in his short article, taking the issue beyond its jurisprudential aspect and including it in the principle of 'amr-bil-maroof-wa-nahi-anil-munkar from a theological perspective. He tries to explain backbiting with categorical distinctions through his answer to a question and mentions different types of backbiting. He points to situations that are accepted as backbiting and are not considered within this scope. In conclusion, in Qāḍī 'Abd al-Jabbar's (d. 415/1025) thought, backbiting is a grave sin within the scope of wāid. As long as the perpetrator does not purify himself from the crime through apology and repentance, he is characterized as a fasiq. This is because backbiting is a negative behavior that violates human law and honor. In this article, his approach to the phenomenon of backbiting will be examined with a descriptive method and the issue will be analyzed as an individual and social problem. In this direction, after the explanations on the meaning and nature of

backbiting, Qāḍī 'Abd al-Jabbar's views on the subject will be systematically reflected in the text by considering his own classification. His treatment of the issue from a theological perspective will provide the article with the originality it aims for. Since the main theme will take its scientific form in line with the limits of the treatise, comprehensive analysis and explanations will not be included.