Al-Imām Ad-Dimishqī ‘Abdullāh bin Abī Zakariyyā رحمه الله did not allow anyone to (unjustly) backbite in his gatherings. He would say:

“If you mention Allāh we support you (in that) and if you mention the people (in an unlawful manner) we abandon you.”

[Tārīkh Dimishq 17/127]

الإمام الدمشقي عبد الله بن أبي زكريا، كان لا يترك أحداً يغتاب في مجلسه ، ويقول :

إن ذكرتم الله أعناكم ، وإن ذكرتم الناس تركناكم

[تاريخ دمشق (۱٢٧/١٧]

This is the way of the Salaf. They did not tolerate people’s honor to be attacked unjustly. So when we make the claim of following the Salaf and we’re in gatherings which people are being spoken about unjustly, remember this narration. May Allāh guide us all to truly follow the way of the Salaf and not just be people who make the claim of following the Salaf.