جستاری فقه الحدیثی در حدیث بدعت و بهتان

One of the traditions reported from the Prophet of Islam, which has caused much controversy, is the well-documented hadith ordering the Muslims to stand against the heretics in religion and to show their opposition to them by cursing, insulting, slandering and backbiting them. This research is an attempt to study the documents and the content of this hadith so that it may answer the question to what extent this hadith is at variance with the principles and values known in religion. This article concludes that the hadith of heresy and slander is neither at variance with the values known in religious teachings nor incompatible with the rational principles ruling social relationships in human societies.