Shaikh Ibn Baz: This is from the angle of al-wa’eed [threatening with punishment] in order for the scandalmonger to be threatened. “No scandalmonger shall enter into Al-Jannah” is from the angle of threatening the individual while he is a muwahhid [person of tawheed], a Muslim. If the person is a Muslim and a muwahhid, in such a case entry into Al-Jannah is hoped for him. Great reward is hoped for such a person.However, it is feared that this sin [scandalmongering] may prevent him from entering into Al-Jannah for a certain period of time. And [it is feared] that he may enter into The Fire for a certain period of time. As is the case with all the sinner.For indeed, the sinners are under the will of Allah; if Allah wills, he’ll forgive them and enter them into Al-Jannah from the outset. And if he wills, he’ll punish them in the Fire for a period of time that corresponds to the degree of their sins. Then, after the purification and cleansing of their sins, Allah shall take them out of the Fire [and bring them] to Al-Jannah, as Allah – exalted be He – has said:
“Indeed Allah does not forgive that partners be set up with Him. And He forgives what is less than that to whomsoever He wills” [An-Nisaa: 48]
And it is established in the authentic mutawaatir [unquestionably and unanimously true and accurate] Prophetic traditions that some of the sinners shall enter the Fire and be punished in the Fire to the degree of their sins. And that their periods of time in the Fire shall differ. Their periods of time therein shall vary. So, once they have been purified, they’ll exit the Fire and enter into Al-Jannah.
Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious against all sin, whether it is scandalmongering or anything else. And the scandalmonger is he who carries and conveys the statements of others. He conveys the statements that will bring about trouble. [He/she will say]: “So and so said such about you, so and so a female said such to you”, until he brings about evil. He reports the statement of Zaid to ‘Amr. He will say: “Do you know so and so spoke about you”, “Do you know so and so spoke about you all” “Do you know so and so a female spoke about you all”, until there occurs enmity and malice. This is an-nameemah [scandalmongering].
[As for] al-gheebah [backbiting], it is to mention of your brother what he dislikes. Backbiting is if one says: “So and so does such and such, so and so drinks wine, so and so is disobedient to his parents, so and so breaks the ties of kinship, so and so is bad to his neighbours”, i.e. [a person] mentions things which [the other] dislikes to be mentioned about himself. This is what is called al-gheebah [backbiting] and it is that you mention of your brother what he dislikes.
And the scandalmonger carries and conveys the statement of Zaid to ‘Amr saying: “Do you know so and so says such and such about you”. He informs his neighbours: “Do you know that so and so says such about you all”. So if he says “Do you know that so and so says such about you all”, then to his companions “Do you know that so and so says such about you all”, up until he kindles the fire [of discord] between them. This is an-nameemah [scandalmongering].
We ask Allah for wellbeing.
