And Do Not Spy — Prohibition of Spying
fiqh
Level: intermediate
special
fqh-064
وَلَا تَجَسَّسُواْ وَلَا يَغۡتَب بَّعۡضُكُم بَعۡضًا
— الحجرات 12
Verse: "And do not spy and do not backbite one another." (49:12) — Spying: investigating people's faults and secrets without permission. Includes: eavesdropping, reading correspondence, monitoring homes, tracking movements without legal justification. Backbiting follows spying — because spying is the source that feeds backbiting.
Source: Al-Qurtubi (16/338)
Question: Why does the prohibition of backbiting follow immediately after spying?
Answer: Because spying is the source people draw backbiting material from — the spy learns the secret then backbites. Prevention: cutting the path from the beginning by prohibiting spying.