Backbiting

We are prohibited from committing slander and backbiting.

 

We are prohibited from committing slander and backbiting to one another in God’s religions: The Bahá’í Faith tells us that backbiting is a grievous deed and that the tongue a smoldering fire that devoureth both heart and soul: the greatest name 8 pix “The tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 264) 

The other religions also heavily condemn backbiting as a thing of harmful consequences to man: Jewish symbols star-8pix JUDAISM: Leviticus: 19:16 “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people.” Psalms: 34:13 “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Psalms: 101:5 “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off:” Proverbs: 11:13 “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” the cross-5pix CHRISTIANITY: Matthew: 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” 1 Timothy: 5:13 “And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.” 5:21 “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things.” Titus: 3:2 “Speak evil of no man!“

Islamic symbol-10 pix ISLAM: 12. “O ye who believe! avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  49)

Islamic symbol-5pix 1. “Woe to every (kind of) scandalmonger and backbiter,”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 104)

Zoroastrian symbol-12pix ZOROASTRIANISM: “He will smite the most slanderous of slanders, He will afflict the most slanderous of slanders;”

(The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)

Ahura Mazda symbol-8pix Denkard. Zoroaster, “Be it known that among men The vindictive magistrate delivering wrong judgments, the wealthy man miserable and discontented despite his wealth, the man who strengthens the evil misers, the man who hates men devoid of greed, the man who helps the wealthy irreligious men to augment their wealth, the man who takes delight in slander and the man who nurses his revenge and when in power wreaks his vengeance are men like unto the Demons and the Drujs.”

Hindu symbol-10pix HINDUISM: 45. “Let him carefully shun the ten vices, springing from love of pleasure, and the eight, proceeding from wrath, which (all) end in misery.” 47. “Hunting, gambling, sleeping by day, censoriousness, (excess with) women, drunkenness, (an inordinate love for) dancing, singing, and music, and useless travel are the tenfold set (of vices) springing from love of pleasure.” 48. “Tale-bearing, violence, treachery, envy, slandering, (unjust) seizure of property, reviling, and assault are the eightfold set (of vices) produced by wrath.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 7)

Hindu symbol 5-pix 8. “Guard them, Victorious God, from slander and from harm.”

(Hindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 7)

Buddhist wheel symbol-10 pix BUDDHISM: “What, now, is karmically unwholesome?” “In Bodily Action it is destruction of living beings; stealing; and unlawful sexual intercourse. In Verbal Action it is lying; tale-bearing; harsh language; and frivolous talk. In Mental Action it is covetousness; ill-will; and wrong views.”

((The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path))

Dharma wheel Buddhist symbols-5pix “Lay members should abstain from all unkindness, stealing, unchastity, lying, duplicity, slander, frivolous talk, covetousness, malice, currying favor, and false teachings.” (Buddha, Diamond Sutra)

Mandaean symbol-15pix SABEANISM: “The…tongue which is softer than fat and sharper than a sword.” (Can cause great harm when used inappropriately) “Evil will be removed. They will be freed from fetter and bond, from evil curses, from evil slander, from lying accusation, from the hand of the wicked.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 24)

The shrine-17pix BABI RELIGION: “It was not proper for him to give ear to the gossip of men eager to create conflict.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 84)

The shrine10 pix “Withhold thy tongue from uttering that which might grieve thee and beseech God for mercy. Verily He is fully cognizant of the righteous, for He is with such of His servants as truly believe in Him, and He is not unaware of the actions of the mischief-makers, inasmuch as nothing whatever in the heavens or on the earth can escape His knowledge.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 162)

the greatest name-12pixBAHA’I FAITH: “Backbiting, slander and dwelling on the faults of others have been repeatedly condemned by Bahá’u’lláh.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 181)

the greatest name 8 pix“That seeker should, also, regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 265)