Arabic (Original)
وَبِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ وَاللَّفْظِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قِيلَ لَهُ مَا الْغِيبَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ قَالَ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ أَيْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِيكَ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ اغْتَبْتَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ.
English Translation
With the same chain and wording, from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): It was said to him: What is backbiting (ghibah), O Messenger of Allah? He said: "It is mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes." He was asked: What if what I say about my brother is true? He said: "If what you say about him is true, you have backbitten him, and if it is not true, you have slandered him."