Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْعَلَاءَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَا الْغِيَابَةُ قَالَ قَالُوا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي أَخِي مَا أَقُولُ لَهُ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ اغْتَبْتَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ.
English Translation
Muhammad ibn Ja'far told us: Shu'bah told us: I heard al-'Ala' narrate from his father, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Do you know what backbiting is?" They said, "God and His Messenger know best." He said, "It is your mentioning your brother in a way he dislikes." It was said: "What do you think if what I say about my brother is true?" He said, "If what you say about him is true, then you have backbitten him, and if what you say is not true, then you have slandered him."