A SAYING OF HADHRAT IBRAHEEM BIN ADHAM (R.A)

Hadhrat Ibraheem bin Adham (R.A) once invited some people for a meal. When they sat down to eat, they began speaking about someone. He told them, "People in the past used to eat the bread before their meat. However, you people have begun eating the meat before the bread (i.e. by backbiting). Rasulullah (sallallahu‐alayhi‐wa‐sallam) has assimilated backbiting as eating the flesh of a Muslim."

Hadhrat Ibraheem (R.A) once said, "Oh liars! You have been miserly towards your friends with regard to the world (i.e. you have not spent on their necessities). However, you have been extremely generous towards your enemies with regard to the Hereafter (i.e. by giving them all the rewards of your good actions when backbiting about them). You have no excuse for this miserliness, nor will you be praised for this generosity."