Muwatta Malik #1947
Speech
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيَّادٍ، أَنَّ الْمُطَّلِبَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَنْطَبَ الْمَخْزُومِيَّ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا الْغِيبَةُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَنْ تَذْكُرَ مِنَ الْمَرْءِ مَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَسْمَعَ " . قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ حَقًّا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا قُلْتَ بَاطِلاً فَذَلِكَ الْبُهْتَانُ " .
Malik related to me from al-Walid ibn Abdullah ibn Sayyad that
al-Muttalib ibn Abdullah ibn Hantab al-Makhzumi informed him that a
man asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, "What is backbiting?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, said, "It is to mention about a man what he
does not want to hear." He said, "Messenger of Allah! Even if it is
true?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, "If you utter something false, then it is slander."
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About Muwatta Malik
This hadith is #1947 from Muwatta Malik, in the Book of Speech.