Atonement for Backbiting

The Prophet of Islam said that one way of expiating for backbiting is to ask forgiveness from God for the one whom you have backbitten. (Al-Maqasidul Hasanah, Hadith No. 804) Backbiting means mentioning any bad quality in a person in his absence, something that the other person would dislike.

Backbiting is an act of malice. When a man makes the mistake of backbiting, he should engage himself in an act of goodwill for the man whom he has backbitten. One form of goodwill is to pray for him. Such a gesture after backbiting will cleanse him of his sin.