Backbiting the Dead

It is reported by Abu Hurayrah (ra) that Maiz bin Maalik al-Aslami (ra) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) repeatedly (so that he may be given the prescribed punishment for the sin he had committed). When he came the fourth time, the Prophet (ﷺ) gave orders for Rajam and he was stoned to death. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a few of his companions afterwards passed by him. One of the companions remarked," How many times this perished man came to the Prophet, and each time he turned him away until he was stoned like a dog." The Prophet (ﷺ) did not say anything and walked ahead till they came to the corpse of a donkey with its legs in the air. He said,"Eat some of this (corpse)." They asked "Messenger of Allah, from this dead donkey?" He said to them." That you have just backbited your brother is more serious than eating some of it (the donkey's corpse). By him in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, he (Mariz bin Maalik) is now among the rivers of paradise plunging into it".

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَبِي أُنَيْسَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْهَضْهَاضِ الدَّوْسِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: جَاءَ مَاعِزُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ الأَسْلَمِيُّ، فَرَجَمَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عِنْدَ الرَّابِعَةِ، فَمَرَّ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ رَجُلاَنِ مِنْهُمْ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْخَائِنَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ مِرَارًا، كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَرُدُّهُ، حَتَّى قُتِلَ كَمَا يُقْتَلُ الْكَلْبُ، فَسَكَتَ عَنْهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حَتَّى مَرَّ بِجِيفَةِ حِمَارٍ شَائِلَةٌ رِجْلُهُ، فَقَالَ: كُلاَ مِنْ هَذَا، قَالاَ: مِنْ جِيفَةِ حِمَارٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: فَالَّذِي نِلْتُمَا مِنْ عِرْضِ أَخِيكُمَا آنِفًا أَكْثَرُ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنَّهُ فِي نَهْرٍ مِنْ أَنْهَارِ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَغَمَّسُ.