The Sharia Ruling on Slander in the Holy Quran. An Analytical Study

Abstract

The issue of slandering and violating the honor of others، as addressed in the Qur’an، is a matter of serious religious concern. Islamic teachings emphasize the gravity of safeguarding human dignity and refraining from spreading false accusations. To uphold justice، clear boundaries have been established to prevent such harmful actions. One prominent example is the punishment for falsely accusing chaste individuals، known as the hadd for qadhf in Islamic law. This penalty—eighty lashes—is applied unless the accuser provides four witnesses to substantiate their claim.

Additionally،issues such as ileah and li’an are regulated to manage accusations within marital relationships. These provisions ensure fairness and prevent misuse that could harm the reputation or emotional well-being of either party. The Qur’an urges believers to exercise extreme caution when dealing with unverified information. Spreading immoral rumors and speaking without evidence lead to societal corruption and entail severe consequences.

Muslims are also advised to avoid major sins such as backbiting and gossiping. Backbiting involves speaking about others negatively behind their backs، while gossip refers to passing on information that sows discord among individuals. These behaviors foster enmity and resentment، undermining social harmony. Furthermore، intentionally spreading messages with the aim of instigating conflict or deceit is a hallmark of hypocritical behavior، as it disrupts social bonds and dismantles trust between people.

Islam calls for honesty،reconciliation،and promoting goodwill among individuals to establish an environment rooted in love، tolerance، and mutual respect.