How to repent from slander

Question

Zayd has a teacher of his own who taught him for a long time and was his well-wisher. Zayd, led astray by the incitement of another mentor (murabbi) or an influential man, raised the banner against this teacher: he caused him harm, tarnished his honour, defamed him among the common people (the public) and disgraced him. After a long time Zayd's eyes were opened; he realised his mistake and folly and repeatedly asked his kind teacher for forgiveness.

Answer

Zayd is obliged to keep his teacher pleased. If the things by which he defamed him are in fact false and a deception, then Zayd is also obliged to confess, before the people in whose presence he disgraced his teacher and tarnished his honour, that these matters were false: “I lied and slandered my teacher.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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