Fasting and Backbiting

05/03/2025| IslamWeb

Some fasting people think that fasting means abstinence from food, drink, and sexual intercourse only, although fasting is actually greater and more sublime than this meaning alone. Some fasting people abstain from such things while spoiling their fasting by committing other forbidden acts. Backbiting is one of the forbidden acts which renders fasting worthless, according to the Sharia. The Prophet () said, “Do you know what constitutes backbiting?” The Companions said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” Thereupon, he said, “Backbiting means talking about your brother in a manner which he detests.” It was said to him, “What do you say if my brother is as I say?” He said, “If he actually is as you assert, you in fact backbite him, and if that is not found in him, it is a slander.” (Reported by Muslim) Slander means making a false and damaging statement about someone.

This meaning is also conveyed by the Prophet’s () saying, “There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst.” (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Khuzaimah)

The Prophet () also said, “Fasting is like a trust; everyone should keep his trust.” (Reported by Al-Khara’iti as a good Hadith)

Ibn Abi Shaibah reported that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “If you fast, then let your hearing, sight, and tongue refrain from lying and forbidden deeds; do not annoy your servant, and be dignified and tranquil on the day of your fast; do not let the day when you fast and the day when you do not fast be the same.”

Ibn Abi Shaibah also reported that Mujahid said, “There are two practices, if a person can keep himself from them, his fast will be secured for him: backbiting and lying.”

Ahmad and Ad-Darimy reported that Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard the Prophet () say, “Fasting is a shield, so long as you do not damage it.” (Ad-Darimi said that the Prophet meant that backbiting damages fasting.)

It was reported that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Al-Awza‘i said, “Backbiting invalidates fasting, and the person who backbites while fasting should make up for that day.” Sufyan Ath-Thawri said, “Backbiting spoils fasting.” Ibn Hazm went to extremes by saying, “Fasting is invalidated by any act of disobedience, in words or deeds, committed by a person while remembering his fast, due to the general meaning of the Prophet’s () saying, “If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relations with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and this is the wording of Muslim)

The Prophet () also said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e., Allah will not accept his fast).” (Reported by Al-Bukhari) The majority of scholars considered that forbiddance to [avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling] indicates prohibition with regard to eating, drinking, and having sexual intercourse.

Al-Qurtubi considered backbiting and giving false statements to be the same in terms of meaning. He said in this regard, “Whoever backbites or gives a false statement while fasting spoils his fast, according to the ruling, with no difference between the two cases.” This saying means that the person who commits any of these acts is not considered fasting, but he does not have to make up for this day. Therefore, he said, “In order for fasting to be perfect, one should avoid forbidden and prohibited acts.”

The purport of Al-Ghazali’s saying in this regard is that if the fasting person backbites, gives a false statement, lies, hurts people with words, or commits any act forbidden by the Sharia , his fast will not be acceptable and will not benefit him on the Day of Resurrection. He raised the following question: What about the jurists’ saying that the fast of the person who abstains from food, drink, and sexual intercourse and does not abstain from backbiting, lying, etc., is considered valid?

He answered this question, saying, “You should know that jurists who follow the literal meaning of the text prove the outward conditions with proofs weaker than those stated with regard to the inward conditions, especially backbiting and the like. The obligations acknowledged by jurists following the literal meaning of texts are followed by the Mukallafs (persons who are obligated to observe the percepts of religion) who are interested in the worldly life. However, scholars seeking the rewards of the Afterworld are concerned with the soundness of the deeds for them to be accepted and to fulfill the intended purpose.”

In conclusion, backbiting and other acts forbidden by the Sharia contradict with the objectives of fasting although they do not invalidate it from the juristic perspective, according to the dominant majority of the scholars, but they invalidate it from the perspective of the objectives of fasting, rendering it deficient and insignificant. It is out of Allah’s Mercy that He has not caused backbiting to invalidate fasting, as it is difficult for people to avoid it altogether, and it cannot be avoided except by those whom Allah, the Almighty, has enabled to do.