what exactly is "Gheebat"?

[kchughtai]

@zobia

if someone is doing something wrong, and that person is really dear to you, but the person dont take your advice and then you discuss it with another person cuz you are really pissed, but you are not intended to bring harm to anyone. is it a gheebat?

or speaking your mind about that person from your past experiences with that person, in the absence of that person. it may hurt his/her reputation as people will less likely to trust him/her. is this a Gheebat?

Gheebat is basically undermining someone’s reputation etc. in his absence where he is not able to defend himself. Thats why backbiting is equated to eating flesh of a dead brother.

Here are the quranic verses

[49:12] O ye who believe! let not one people deride another people, who may be better than they, nor let women deride other women, who may be better than they. And defame not your own people, nor call one another by nicknames. Bad indeed is evil reputation after the profession of belief; and those who repent not are the wrongdoers.
(49:13)
“O ye who believe! avoid most of suspicions; for suspicion in some cases is a sin. And spy not, nor back-bite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his brother who is dead? Certainly you would loathe it. And fear Allah, surely, Allah is Oft-Returning with compassion and is Merciful.”

I think it is better to avoid such discussions. But if the matter is serious and someone asks your opinion in a matter like initiating a relationship then I think it is good to provide ‘awareness’ to the concerned party but without any exaggeration. I think in that case, it would not be ‘gheebat’ because your motive will be to save someone from committing a blunder. but I would like to hear from others if they have differing opinion in this case.