A seeker wrote, ‘I have the (spiritual) illness of doing and listening back biting. Please, prescribe a treatment.’

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘1. Reflect on the consequences of back biting (especially in Here-after) at that moment.

2. Pause and contemplate prior to talking

3. Ask forgiveness (from the individual) if back biting happens

4. Fix a penalty on yourself, either cash donation or offering optional salah (nafil) (in case if you slip).

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 3, page 124