In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum Wa-Raḥmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh
In principle, backbiting a Muslim is a grave sin. In the Qurʾān Majīd, Allah Taʿālā likens backbiting to eating the flesh of one’s dead brother. Numerous stern warnings regarding this sin are also found in the blessed aḥādīth.
The manner of rectifying this sin depends on whether the person who was backbitten is aware of it.
If the person is aware that he was backbitten, then, in addition to sincerely repenting to Allah Taʿālā, one should seek his forgiveness, as the matter involves the rights of a fellow human being (ḥuqūq al-ʿibād). However, it is not necessary to disclose the details were doing so would cause further hurt or harm. Rather, forgiveness may be sought in general terms.
If the person is unaware, it is not necessary to inform him of the backbiting. Rather, one should sincerely repent to Allah Taʿālā, seek His forgiveness, and make duʿāʾ for the person. Similarly, if the person has passed away, one should repent, seek Allah’s forgiveness, and make duʿāʾ for him, while rectifying any other outstanding rights where applicable.
The same principles apply to mockery, ridicule, insults, jokes, GIFs, stickers, messages, and other material through which a person was demeaned or his honour attacked. One should therefore repent from all such conduct, cease it, and resolve never to return to it.
Any material still within one’s possession or control should be deleted, and one should not forward, repost, or circulate it further. If copies have been retained by others and are genuinely beyond one’s control, one is not responsible for what one cannot reasonably remove or control. Nevertheless, where reasonably possible, one should take appropriate steps to prevent further circulation and rectify any actual harm caused.
If false statements or accusations were made, this is distinct from ordinary Ghībah(backbiting) and may constitute Bhutan(slandering). Where such statements caused reputational harm, they should, where reasonably possible and without causing greater harm, be corrected to those to whom they were communicated.
Thus, the objective is not merely to disclose one’s past wrongdoing, but to repent sincerely, discontinue the sin, prevent further harm, and rectify any rights or damage to the extent reasonably possible without causing greater harm. [1]
And Allah Taʿāla Knows Best.
Baba Abu Bakr
Student Darul Iftaa
Accra, Ghana
Checked and Approved by
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai
https://iftaa.co.za/9275/how-to-repent-and-rectify-backbiting-insults-and-slander/