The punishment for slander and calumny

Question

Question: What is the punishment in the Shari‘a for a slanderer and a fabricator of accusations?

Answer

The punishment for calumny varies according to its nature and the capacity of those who administer the punishment; the standing of the person against whom the calumny was made is also taken into account. To give a general ruling without qualification is difficult, as is stated in the chapter on ta‘zir (discretionary punishment). Therefore, that it is a major sin (kabira)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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