(Correspondence of Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi rahimahullah)
Letter: I have a habit of backbiting others and I very quickly tend to have ill thoughts about people. This malady is continuously on the ever increase in me. It is hoped that Hazrat will provide me with a cure.
Reply: We will generally speak ill of a person or harbour ill thoughts about him when we consider him to be a bad person or an opponent. Due to engaging in these sins, we have transferred our good deeds to him. Reflect for a moment as to how foolish this is that we backbite about the one we are angry with and hand over our good deeds to him! Are we prepared to give him our worldly wealth and riches? Never! Then how are we prepared to give him our good deeds on the day of judgement while we ourselves will remain as paupers? Ponder over this aspect and bear it in mind. May Allah Ta‘ala give you and I the ability to do so. (Maktoobaat vol. 1, pg. 25)