Soul of Islam Radio

Backbiting is defined by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as mentioning about another person that which they would dislike, even if it is true. If the statement is false, it becomes slander, which is an even more heinous crime. The moral gravity of this sin is not symbolic rhetoric; it is a description of an unseen reality. The Prophet ﷺ narrated the incident of two women who fasted outwardly while engaging in backbiting. When instructed to vomit, they expelled blood and pieces of rotten flesh, and he explained that they had broken their fast upon what God had made unlawful. The lesson is profound: outward acts of worship do not compensate for corruption of character.

These two women fasted from what Allah made lawful for them, but they broke their fast on what Allah made unlawful. They sat backbiting people, and this is the flesh of the people they were eating.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, (Musnad Ahmad)

The Qur’an explicitly condemns backbiting in Surah al-Ḥujurāt (49:12), warning believers to avoid suspicion, spying, and speaking ill of one another. The vivid imagery of cannibalism is meant to awaken the conscience and instill moral revulsion toward such behavior. Islam places immense emphasis on guarding the tongue. Entire sections of the major hadith collections are devoted to speech, character, and etiquette (adab). The Prophet ﷺ declared that whoever guarantees what is between the jaws and what is between the loins will be guaranteed Paradise. True faith manifests not only in ritual devotion but in disciplined speech and moral restraint.

Equally serious is the responsibility of those who listen to backbiting. Hearing and entertaining such speech contaminates the heart and creates suspicion, even when the claims are doubtful. Surah al-Ḥujurāt (49:6) commands believers to verify information brought by a sinful person (fāsiq) lest harm be done out of ignorance.

To participate passively in backbiting is to share in its moral burden. Justice in Islam requires investigation, fairness, and the presumption of innocence. Standing firmly for truth—even against oneself, family, or close associates—is a defining mark of faith, as emphasized in Surah al-Nisā’ (4:135).

The violation becomes even more egregious when it involves spouses. Marriage is described in the Qur’an as a sacred trust, with each spouse serving as a garment for the other (2:187). A garment protects, covers, and dignifies. To expose, distort, or weaponize private matters is a betrayal of that trust.

The Qur’an further reminds believers that some spouses and even children may become sources of trial (64:14), underscoring the reality that family relationships are arenas of spiritual testing. When separation occurs, it must be conducted with dignity, justice, and restraint—not vengeance or character assassination.

Underlying much backbiting and slander is a deeper psychological and spiritual disease: victim consciousness. This mindset, rooted in ego and grievance, can subtly lead to injustice, self-deception, and ultimately a distortion of faith. When a person becomes attached to a narrative of victimhood, they may unconsciously seek validation for that identity, even at the expense of truth. Islam calls believers to personal responsibility and inward reform. As Allah states in Surah al-Raʿd (13:11), God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.

For those who have been wronged through slander or character attacks, the path forward requires both outward justice and inward surrender. Islam commands the protection of one’s honor, life, and property. Yet spiritually, humiliation and the loss of reputation can become means of purification. Even the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was slandered and accused falsely. Ultimately, the believer’s concern is not public perception but divine pleasure.

The Prophet ﷺ concluded this moral teaching with a sobering description of the “bankrupt” person on the Day of Judgment. Such an individual may come with prayer, fasting, and charity, yet will have harmed others through insults, slander, or injustice. Their good deeds will be transferred to those they wronged; if insufficient, the sins of others will be placed upon them until they are cast into the Fire. This hadith, recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, lays bare the catastrophic cost of unrestrained speech.

Backbiting and slander are not minor social infractions; they are spiritual crimes with eternal consequences. They test not only those who commit them, but entire communities who must decide whether to stand with truth or indulge the ego’s appetite for drama and accusation. The path of faith demands vigilance, discipline of speech, commitment to justice, and sincere surrender to the will of Allah.

Guarding the tongue is not a peripheral virtue; it is central to spiritual excellence. In protecting the honor of others, we protect our own standing before God. In restraining the ego, we safeguard our Hereafter.

Additional Resources

The following posts and videos are mentioned in this episode, and links are provided here for your convenience.

• How to Ruin Your Life


• Victim Consciousness: Dangerous and Destructive

Chapters

00:00 | How to Ruin Your Afterlife
Why ingratitude, complaint, and unchecked speech destroy divine blessing and spiritual standing.

01:45 | The Major Sin People Commit Without Fear
Introducing backbiting (ghibah) and slander (buhtān) as from the gravest of sins.

02:45 | What Is Backbiting, Really?
The Prophet ﷺ defines backbiting and why “telling the truth” is not a defense.

03:35 | Spiritual Cannibalism Explained
The shocking hadith of the fasting women and the unseen reality of backbiting.

05:15 | Qur’anic Condemnation of Backbiting
Surah al-Ḥujurāt and why Allah likens it to eating dead flesh.

07:10 | Guarding the Tongue and the Path to Paradise
Why silence is better than harmful speech and the guarantee of Jannah.

11:20 | Listening Is Also a Sin
How hearing backbiting poisons the heart and transfers responsibility.

14:40 | Standing for Truth Against Self and Kin
Justice, verification, and refusing to side with falsehood—no exceptions.

17:25 | The Sacred Trust of Marriage and Honor
Why backbiting a spouse or ex-spouse is among the worst violations.

20:00 | Victim Consciousness, Ego, and Unbelief
How the victim mindset destroys faith, communities, and the soul.

24:20 | Humiliation as Spiritual Purification
Surrendering reputation, dissolving ego, and returning fully to God.

27:45 | The Bankrupt Person on the Day of Judgment
The final hadith: how good deeds are lost and sins transferred.

Physical health in Islam is not a peripheral concern but an essential dimension of a complete and integrated spiritual life. Human beings were created for movement, exertion, and active living, and for most of history daily life naturally sustained physical strength and vitality. The modern shift toward sedentary living represents a significant departure from this divine design, contributing not only to physical illness but also to psychological distress and spiritual stagnation. Life itself is sustained through motion, and when movement is neglected, imbalance inevitably follows.

The body is a trust granted by Allah Almighty, meant to be honored, maintained, and used in the service of worship and goodness. Neglecting physical well-being weakens mental clarity, emotional stability, and spiritual resilience. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized the value of strength when he taught that the strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while affirming goodness in both. Although strength encompasses many dimensions, physical vitality remains foundational, enabling worship, discipline, service, and the capacity to uphold justice and protect what is good.

The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though both are good. Be eager for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not lose heart. If something befalls you, do not say, “If only I had done such-and-such…” Rather, say, “Allah decreed it, and whatever He wills, He does,” for saying “if only” opens the door to the work of Shayṭān.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Sahih Muslim, Book of Destiny (Kitāb al-Qadar), Hadith 2664

Contemporary science increasingly confirms this sacred wisdom. Physical exercise is now recognized as one of the most powerful interventions for overall health and healing. Movement strengthens the body while activating the brain’s natural chemistry for well-being through the release of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, endocannabinoids, and norepinephrine. These processes elevate mood, reduce anxiety, improve focus, and support long-term brain health, making exercise a primary tool in addressing stress, depression, and cognitive decline. The health of the body directly supports the health of the mind, and together they influence emotional balance and spiritual presence.

Beyond its biological effects, exercise restores energetic flow within the human system. Just as flowing water remains pure while stagnant water becomes diseased, consistent movement prevents stagnation, clears accumulated stress, and renews vitality. Physical exertion counters inertia and heaviness, fostering strength, resilience, and clarity. This mirrors the spiritual principle that growth requires effort, resistance, and disciplined striving. Ease emerges through consistent exertion aligned with wisdom and purpose.

True strength, however, is always understood to originate from Allah Almighty. Human beings are created weak, and all power ultimately flows from the Creator. For this reason, strength is cultivated not for domination or pride, but for service, protection, justice, and excellence of character. Caring for the body thus becomes an act of stewardship and gratitude, aligning human life with Divine order.

In essence, movement is medicine. Exercise heals the body, stabilizes the mind, uplifts the spirit, and restores balance to the whole human system. By returning to the natural rhythm of exertion and renewal, believers cultivate strength that supports both worldly well-being and spiritual excellence, fulfilling the trust of the body in harmony with the Creator’s design.

The month of Rajab marks the beginning of a sacred three-month spiritual progression that continues through Shaʿbān and culminates in the noble and blessed month of Ramadan. It is a period of inward turning, reflection, and renewal, inviting the believer to step back from distraction and return to presence, awareness, and conscious connection with the Divine. Rooted in the natural rhythm of the lunar calendar, Rajab serves as a reminder that spiritual life unfolds in cycles of awakening, refinement, and realization.

Rajab is traditionally associated with inner awakening and seclusion, and is a time to quiet the ego, detach from worldly attachments, and reconnect with what is Real and Eternal. Throughout Islamic history, seekers have engaged in periods of spiritual retreat (khalwa) to deepen remembrance, meditation, and awareness of God’s presence. While such formal seclusion requires guidance and wisdom, its underlying principle remains essential: periodically withdraw from noise, return to stillness, and allow the heart to re-awaken (Seclusion in Islam).

The spiritual energy of Rajab also prepares the heart for the increasing devotional intensity of Shaʿbān and the luminous culmination of Ramadan. This progression mirrors the journey from inward awakening, to refinement of character and intention, to the outward embodiment of faith within community and worship. By beginning this journey in Rajab, the believer aligns the soul with a deeper rhythm of growth, readiness, and grace.

Eternal Warrior Way

A central theme of this period is the cultivation of presence through worship, remembrance, and conscious discipline — especially during times of stillness and silence. The inward dimension of fasting, restraint from ego and desire, opens the way for the heart to awaken and for spiritual life to deepen. This inner fasting complements the outward form and leads toward humility, sincerity, and proximity to the Divine.

Islamic Meditation

One of the most blessed opportunities in this journey is rising during the last third of the night for prayer, remembrance, and supplication:

Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven every night during the last third of the night and says:
“Who is calling upon Me so that I may answer him?
Who is asking Me so that I may give to him?
Who is seeking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?”

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Bukhari, Muslim)

This sacred time invites the seeker into intimacy, humility, and divine generosity, and provides a space in which the heart opens to forgiveness, guidance, and spiritual awakening.

Rajab also reminds us of the true purpose of human existence, a purpose affirmed in the Qur’an:

“And I did not create jinn and mankind except that they may worship Me.”

Surah adh-Dhariyat (Holy Qur’an, 51:56)

This month calls the believer back to meaning, intention, and spiritual alignment — away from illusion and toward reality, away from heedlessness and toward remembrance. Entering Rajab with sincerity and commitment opens the path toward inner awakening, preparation for Ramadan, and a deeper journey of return to the Divine.

In contemporary culture, healing is often framed as a backward-looking process. We are encouraged to revisit the past, analyze our wounds, and understand the origins of our trauma in the hope that insight itself will produce change. While such understanding can be informative and even illuminating, it is not what ultimately heals. Healing does not occur in memory. Healing occurs only in the present moment—through conscious response, right action, and surrender to the Divine Will.

How the Present Is the Key to Your Healing

The past cannot be changed, and the future does not yet exist. The present moment is the only place where action is possible. For this reason, it is also the only place where healing can take place. One may spend years analyzing childhood experiences and psychological patterns, gaining clarity without ever experiencing true transformation. Insight alone does not release trauma, because trauma is not merely an intellectual phenomenon. It lives in the body, in the nervous system, and in the subconscious. Healing, therefore, is not primarily a mental achievement, but rather, it is a spiritual process.

By the will of the Divine, life itself provides the conditions necessary for healing. These conditions rarely appear as ease or comfort. More often, they come in the form of challenges, trials, and emotional triggers. When a trigger arises, it signals that a wound has surfaced. This moment is not a failure; it is an invitation. If we react unconsciously—out of fear, anger, or ego—we reinforce the wound and re-traumatize ourselves. If, however, we respond consciously, with presence and restraint, the same moment becomes a point of healing.

Every trigger represents a fork in the road. One path leads to repetition of the past; the other leads to transformation. The difference lies in our response. Reaction perpetuates suffering. Conscious response interrupts the old pattern. This is how the present heals the past, and without needing to revisit it. Each moment handled with patience, surrender, and right action rewrites the internal narrative and gradually reshapes the self.

Central to this process is stillness. In highly charged emotional states, positivity may not be immediately accessible. Neutrality, however, always is. By pausing, grounding in the breath, and becoming present, we create space for guidance rather than impulse. Such stillness is not passivity. In truth, it is submission—placing oneself in alignment with Divine Will rather than egoic reactivity. From this state, action becomes guided and inspired rather than compulsive and reactive.

Surrender is not resignation. It is trust. It is the recognition that reality, as it appears in the present moment, is an expression of Divine Will and an opportunity for growth. Resistance to what is only deepens and perpetuates suffering, for it is surrender opens the heart to healing, light, and transformation. Over time, repeated right action reshapes character, dissolves fear held in the body, and alters identity itself.

Course in Spiritual Healing

Healing, then, is not instantaneous. It is cumulative. It unfolds across a lifetime through countless small moments of conscious choice. We are not asked to fix the past. We are asked to meet the present with faith, patience, and trust. When we do, the past loosens its grip, the future opens, and the heart moves progressively towards wholeness, peace, and the Divine Presence of our Lord and Creator.

Chapters

00:00 | Introduction: Healing Beyond the Past
01:31 | Why Healing Only Happens in the Present
03:05 | The Limits of Therapy and Analysis
05:28 | The Present Moment as Divine Opportunity
06:20 | Triggers as Invitations for Healing
08:03 | Egoic Reaction vs. Spiritual Response
11:33 | Stillness, Breath, and Conscious Choice
15:00 | Surrender, Trust, and Real Faith
17:35 | Right Action, Inner Change, and Destiny
22:23 | Healing, Destiny, and the Path Forward

Gratitude is not a secondary virtue in the spiritual life. It is the very foundation of faith, the essence of worship, and the light by which the heart comes alive. Everything meaningful in religion is built upon gratitude, because the greatest gifts ever given to humanity are guidance and knowledge. Without guidance, life loses direction. Without knowledge of God, existence loses meaning. Faith itself is a divine gift, and gratitude is the natural response of a heart that recognizes this gift.

How Worship Reveals the Light of the Heart

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made this reality unmistakably clear when he explained the reason for his abundant worship. Despite being forgiven and protected by his Lord, he said, “Shall I not be a grateful servant?” This statement reveals that the true essence of worship is not fear, habit, or obligation alone, but rather is gratitude and love. Worship is the heart’s way of responding to divine generosity. If the veils of ego and heedlessness were lifted, and we truly saw how much Allah has given, continues to give, and will give from His oceans of mercy and beauty, we would never lift our heads from prostration.

Faith is not meant to remain hidden or theoretical. Real faith seeks expression. This is why the principle “faith without works is dead” appears in earlier scriptures and remains universally true. If faith is alive in the heart, it naturally manifests as worship, gratitude, humility, and service. Allah Almighty is absolutely independent and has no need for our worship; rather, worship is a gift given to us so that we may grow in light, beauty, and nearness to Him. When worship weakens, it is an indication that faith itself requires care, attention, and cultivation.

Worship therefore becomes a barometer for the state of the heart. A strong desire for prayer, remembrance (dhikr), sacred knowledge, night worship, the mosque, and wholesome spiritual gatherings is a sign of awakened faith. When these desires are absent or burdensome, it signals that faith has weakened and needs nourishment. This is not a cause for despair, but an invitation to return to the prophetic method of spiritual growth.

The primary method taught by the Prophet ﷺ for awakening faith is righteous companionship (suhbah). Faith was transmitted to the Companions not merely through words, but through presence, character, and living manifest example. This sacred method has been preserved throughout history and will remain so until the end of time by the will of God Who has sworn to protect and preserve the path, the religion and the revelation. Allah commands believers in the Qur’an to seek out the truthful and to keep their company, and through sincere companionship with those who embody faith, gratitude, and humility, hearts are awakened and strengthened.

Awakenings Academy

Islam represents the perfection of sacred and divine guidance given to humanity. Allah has completed the religion and chosen Islam as the way of surrender, balance, and truth. The purpose of life is not merely to believe abstractly, but to awaken the hidden potential within the heart that allows a person to approach their Lord sincerely, humbly, and beautifully. The ultimate goal is not just outward compliance, but entering into the Divine Presence by God’s grace and coming to know Him.

One of the highest stations of gratitude is to be grateful for gratitude itself—to recognize that Allah Almighty has given us the awareness, sensitivity, and capacity to thank Him. Gratitude is beautiful, and beauty is beloved to Allah. True beauty is not external form, but inner character: humility, thankfulness, sincerity, and devotion. Ingratitude, by contrast, is repeatedly paired with disbelief in the Qur’an, while gratitude is a defining quality of a true believer.

The faithful servant is not consumed by complaint or lack, but is focused on thanking the Creator and worshipping Him. Such a heart finds peace, purpose, and meaning, regardless of circumstance.

Chapters

00:00 – The Foundation of Faith: Gratitude
Opening reflection on gratitude as the essence, light, and root of true faith. 85 Gratitude Faith

01:09 – Why the Prophet ﷺ Worshipped: The Secret of Gratitude
Exploring the hadith, “Shall I not be a grateful servant?” and the meaning behind abundant worship.

02:02 – Seeing God’s Gifts Behind the Veils
Recognizing divine generosity and how unveiling would transform our worship.

02:51 – Faith Without Works Is Dead
How true faith naturally seeks expression through worship, gratitude, and righteous action.

03:37 – Worship as a Gift and Mirror of the Heart
Understanding worship as a divine gift that grows beauty, humility, and light within the believer.

04:29 – Diagnosing the Heart: Worship as a Barometer
Desire for prayer, dhikr, and sacred gatherings as signs of strong or weak faith.

05:25 – The Prophetic Method: Sohbah and Righteous Companionship
The essential role of spiritual companionship in awakening and cultivating faith.

06:06 – The Perfection of Islam and the Purpose of Life
Faith, surrender, and awakening the heart’s hidden potential to know Allah.

07:01 – The High Station of Being Grateful for Gratitude
A deeper reflection on gratitude as beauty and the inner character beloved to Allah.

07:54 – Gratitude vs. Ingratitude: The Qur’anic Lens
How unbelief is repeatedly paired with ingratitude—and the qualities of the true believer.

08:53 – A Closing Prayer and Invitation
Final supplication and a reminder to share.