Question
Few questions about backbiting and slander. If a person says something else loudly behind his back with the intention of him hearing so he can be offended, does this count as backbiting? Also if it is not then what is the sin and punishment?
Answer
1) Yes it is counted as backbiting.
2) If that same thing were to be said in front of that person , and he would be hurt by it this is backbiting, if the things weren’t true that would be slander which is worse.
حدثني مالك عن الوليد بن عبد الله بن صياد ان المطلب بن عبد الله بن حنطب المخزومي أخبره ان رجلا سأل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما الغيبة فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ان تذكر من المرء ما يكره ان يسمع قال يا رسول الله وإن كان حقا قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قلت باطلا فذلك البهتان.
3) There is a hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘When I was taken up to heaven (i.e. during the Mi`raj) I passed by people who had nails of copper with which they were scraping their faces and their breasts. I said, ‘who are these [people], O Jibreel?’ He replied: ‘they are those who consumed the flesh of people [i.e. backbite them] and defamed their honour.
4) Cure for gheebah
I recommend reading Ihyaaul Uloom of Imam Ghazali (Rh) in there are plenty of excellent cures for spiritual diseases such as backbiting etc.
Realize that it exposes you to the displeasure of Allah, the Exalted. Remind yourself that your good deeds will go to the person whom you are backbiting, and his sins will be borne by you. Ponder over your own faults, and occupy yourself with correcting them. Feel ashamed to discuss the faults of others when you yourself have so many faults. If you are really free from fault, then occupy yourself with thanking Allah for His favour. Just as you would dislike someone else backbiting you, put yourself in the place of the one whom you are inclined to backbite.
Here is a dua that should be read, inshallah it will benefit you greatly,
اللَّهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا يَحُولُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعَاصِيكَ وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ وَمِنْ الْيَقِينِ مَا تُهَوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مُصِيبَاتِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتِّعْنَا بِأَسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا وَقُوَّتِنَا مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا وَاجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنَّا وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى مَنْ عَادَانَا وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مُصِيبَتَنَا فِي دِينِنَا وَلَا تَجْعَلْ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُنَا
سنن الترمذي