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An intelligent & learned man once met an old friend of his after a very long time. During the course of the conversation, the old friend referred to another of the man's friends.
"Do you know that this man, who you considered a very good friend of yours, has really been backbiting and spreading rumours about you?" he asked.
The learned man did not reply at once. He did not think that the information he had been given was at all useful to him and was rather angry that his friend should speak in this manner.
"My friend," he said. "We have met after so long and yet you have chosen this moment to commit three evil acts in a row. First, by giving me this information about my old friend, you have planted the seeds of hatred and enmity between the two of us. Secondly, you have upset me with your information and thirdly, you have demonstrated to me that you are untrustworthy. How can I trust someone who speaks ill of others to me, for they may also speak ill of me to others?" (Bikhre Moti)
It is true that one who speaks ill about others to you, speaks ill about you to others. Such a person therefore is untrustworthy and should not be befriended. Islam strongly condemns such behaviour.
"Woe to every scandal-monger and slanderer" (104:1)
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