What is the ruling on backbiting or speaking ill of a co-wife to others?

Forbidden — backbiting a co-wife is the same as backbiting any Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ defined ghibah as mentioning about your brother something he dislikes; if it is true, it is backbiting, and if it is untrue, it is slander. The Qur'an likens backbiting to eating the flesh of one's dead brother. This includes conversations in WhatsApp groups, on social media or with the children. If there is a real problem with a co-wife, raise it with the husband privately or through a trustworthy intermediary. The second wife is bound by the same prohibition towards the first wife.

Sources

Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa as-Silah wa al-AdabSurah al-Hujurat 49:12

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This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

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