Backbiting, slander and dwelling on the faults of others have
been repeatedly condemned by Bahá’u’lláh. In the Hidden Words, He clearly
states: “O Son of Being! How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy
thyself with the faults of others? Whoso doeth this is accursed of Me.” And
again: “O Son of Man! Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art
thyself a sinner. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou
be, and to this I bear witness.” This strong admonition is further reiterated
in His last work, “the Book of My Covenant”: “Verily I say, the tongue is for
mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly talk. God hath forgiven
what is past. Henceforward everyone should utter that which is meet and seemly,
and should refrain from slander, abuse and whatever causeth sadness in men.”
- The Universal House of Justice (‘The Notes section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)
