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 thatal-Muttalib ibn Abdullah ibn Hantab al-Makhzumi informed him that aman asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, "What is backbiting?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, said, "It is to mention about a man what hedoes not want to hear." He said, "Messenger of Allah! Even if it istrue?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, said, "If you utter something false, then it is slander." Translation Not Available
Book Ref: Muwatta Imam Malik Book 56 Hadith 1823
Web Ref: Muwatta Imam Malik Book 56 Hadith 10