________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ |_______________________________________________________________________|\ Assalamu 'alaykum The following question was answered by Shaykh Mustafa Jaffer. Salaams & Duas Ummulbanin Merali - Moderator - 'Aalim Network ******************************************************************************* QUESTION: It is only now that I realise the truly harmful effects of backbiting. I know want to do istighfar, but, I do not remeber all the people that I have spoken about, or they have moved away, etc. I once heard in a maj'lis that there are some tasbihs that you can recite and pray that the sawaab of these go to the slandered, please can you give me more information on this ANSWER: The first step of Isteghfar is to resolve never to commit the sin again. Then you have to, in the case of backbiting, seek out those you may have talked ill of and ask for forgiveness. Thereafter, one has to seek forgiveness from Allah. Should all these steps be taken in all earnest and sincerity, then Allah is the Most Merciful and All forgiving. Wa Minallaahit Tawfiq Mustafa Jaffer