Asking for forgiveness after making gheebah

Q: Gheebah is a very great sin. الغيبة اشد من الزنا.

So lots of people take it lightly and will still end up speaking bad about people and ask that person forgiveness afterwards etc.

When a person speaks bad regarding another person, if it falls under gheebat, the persons good deeds goes to the person he has spoken ill about. Now if he asks that person forgiveness, even if the person forgives him, will he get his good deeds back? Or will it be such that he can now ask Allah for forgiveness as the person has forgiven him, but he'll have to restart his good deeds?

I feel that people don't realize the gravity of the sin of gheebah, and take it very lightly. Please advise. I'm not an aalima so I am afraid if I'm thinking wrongly so I dislike saying anything regarding it incase I am erroneous in this regard.

A: If one makes sincere taubah, then according to the level and strength of the taubah, insha Allah, Allah Ta'ala will compensate one for what one had lost.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)