Backbiting; A major but Common Sin

The saying of our Beloved Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (May peace be upon him) is that backbiting is as that one eats the flesh of his/her dead brother. So, it shows that how greater sin is to speak against one’s absence. But unfortunately, it has became our common practice to frequently pass negative comments and remain ignorant that we are committing one of the greatest sins “backbiting”. Just recall our conversation among our social, family or official gatherings. Someone, just put a question to carry on the conversation “how is Mr./Miss XYZ, its long time to see him/her” so, this question is like the short pitched ball and now everyone will try to pull that ball for six. All the members will consider their duty to give some comments about that absent person and unfortunately most of the comments will be against him.
The continuity of this practice is injecting the abhorrence against each other and now we need make up of falsehood to conversation, we have to show that we are loyal sincere and loving with the other fellow but on the actual grounds we don’t have positive feelings. The reason is again same “backbiting “, which is responsible of this falsehood and the true feelings, true positive likings have been abolished.
If somebody commits crime like robbery or fraud he will get some money or other economic benefits so, his crime has some justifications but the question arises what we gain and what are the benefits to passing such negative comments? Why we enjoy recalling someone’s negative practices? I don’t know the answer. Perhaps, we have devil inside and we do such practices just to feed him but it is the only justification or the only safe side for our evil deeds that it was Satan who tempted us for sin. We put all our misdeeds on Satan’s shoulders and say very innocently that it was he (Satan) who forced us. I want to share a joke with you that once a person committed some wrong and when some asked him why you did it? He replied it was Satan who tempted him to do so, suddenly Satan appears there and explain that the sin was not even in his (Satan) mind and he is just blaming him (Satan).
Again come to topic that we should discourage this practice (backbiting) and if we can’t stop him (backbiters), at least we should not encourage them to do it. Shakespeare’s widely quoted quotation (“GIVE EVERY MAN THY EAR BUT FEW THY VOICE”) from his play “Hamlet” also giving indications that we should try our best to avoid making unnecessary comments. Its intellectual practice to listen more and speak less, in this way we continuously remain in learning process. For example, we are conversing with some intellectual, teacher or elder; definitely we will get something from his words. But if we talking with a fool then too we get some lesion from our meeting. It would be habit of foolish person that he will speak absurd, repeat his talks again and again or will speak against somebody. Definitely, we will feel irritation and on the other hand he is giving us lesson to avoid the practice what he is doing i.e. speak absurd, repeat talks again and again or speak against somebody. It means there is lesson for us even we are talking with fool.
In the end, we should be more practical and less theoretical. A wise person always weighs his words before utterance, it’s the key of success.