such a thing about me.’ He replied, ‘I never said any such thing.’ The king persistently said, ‘The one who has told me, (how can he lie?) He is a very truthful person.’ Sayyiduna Imam Zuhri رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه addressed the king and said, ‘(The one who gave you this news is a tale-teller and) a tale-teller can never be truthful.’ Listening to this, the king calmed down and said:  ‘You are absolutely right.’ Then the king said to that person: ‘اِذْھَبْ بِسَلَامٍ’ i.e. return with peace.^[1]

2. The way of Sayyiduna ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz

A person came in the court of Amir al-Mumineen, Sayyiduna ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه and said something negative about someone. He  رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه said: “If you want, I can investigate this matter. If you are found to be a liar, then you will fall under the following verse:

اِنْ جَآءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌۢ بِنَبَاٍ فَتَبَیَّنُوْۤا

If any sinner brings you some news, so (you must) investigate it.^[2]

If you are found to be truthful, then you will come under the ruling of the following verse:

هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءٍۭ بِنَمِیْمٍۙ(۱۱)

The excessive slanderer, going about excessive slandering.^[3]

If you want, I can forgive you.” He humbly said: ‘O Amir al-Mumineen! Please forgive me. I will not do so (i.e. backbite or tell-tale) again.’^[4]

3. You brought three evils to me

A person came to a pious predecessor رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه and relayed some negative