Part 24

Al-Bukhaaree (6477), Muslim (2988), and Ahmad (8703)

41 Bukhaaree (6478), and the wording here is from his narration of the hadith; Ahmad (8206); and Maalik (1849), and the wording he relates is different altogether from the wording related by Bukhaaree and Ahmad.

When Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal 4 asked the Messenger of Allah % about deeds that make one enter Paradise and that keep one far away from the Hellfire, the Prophet #% mentioned the pillars of Islam, some other good deeds, and then he #5 said, “Shall I not inform you of what strengthens and perfects all of that?”

Mu’aadh 4% said, ‘Yes, O’ Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet # then took hold of his tongue, and said, ws Sele Gs

“Hold this back (from evil speech).””

Mu’aadh 4 said, “O’ Prophet of Allah, and will we be hel accountable for what we say?” The Messenger of Allah 8 said

“May your mother lose you (though this is the literal meaning, the phrase is meant to show amazement at what he said)! And |

will people be overturned on their faces or upon their nostrils in ; the Hellfire except because of the harvests of their tongues,’")

And the Messenger of Allah #% guaranteed Paradise to one w protects his tongue and private parts from evil:

“Whoever guarantees for me what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, then I guarantee Paradise for him.”

Seeking Allah’s pleasure and reward, a Muslim should diligent protect his tongue and his private parts from all that Allah 4% prohibited. And one can achieve this without much difficulty g

(1) At-Tirmidhee (2616). At-Tirmidhee said, “This hadith is Hasan 5: Ahmad (21511) and Ibn Maajah (3973) also related it.

he is helped and guided by Allah #6. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree .# related this hadith:

“When the son of Adam wakes up, his limbs submit to his tongue, saying to it, ‘Fear Allah regarding us, for if you become upright, we too will become upright; and if you become crooked, then we too will become crooked.’""!

There is no contradiction between this hadith and the following hadith, which is related by An-No’maan Ibn Basheer <&: wd cag VES Aoshi id “Lo! In the body there is a morsel: if it is upright and good, then the entire body will become upright and good; but if it is

corrupted, then the entire body becomes corrupted - Lo! It is the heart./"73

The meanings of the two Ahadeeth are in harmony because, as AfTeebee mentioned, the tongue is the interpreter of the heart and icts as its representative on the external side of one’s body. When me assigns responsibility in a matter to the tongue, he is peaking figuratively, and is in fact assigning responsibility to he heart. Al-Maidaanee said, “A man’s worth is known by two very small parts of his body: his heart and his tongue.”

) Speak Good Words Or Remain Silent

Whenever you intend to speak, it is wise to consider your words, o dwell upon the worthiness of your intended speech. Then, if rou conclude that your intended speech is worthy and noble

‘| Ahmad (11498), and this wording is related by him. Scholars specialized in Al-Musnad have said, “Its chain is Hasan.” At-Tirmidhee related it as

4! Bukhaaree (52) and Muslim (1599)

enough to be translated into actual speech, then by all means, speak. If, on the other hand, you conclude that what you intend to say is evil, it is better for you to desist and hold back your words. Abu Hurairah # related that the Messenger of Allah #% said,

“Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him not harm his neighbor. Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him honor his guest. And whosoever believes in Allah

and the Last Day, then let him speak good [words] or remain |

silent.”"] This is characteristically succinct speech from the Prophet 2%, fo any speech is either good, evil, or of a kind that leads to one

the two. “Good speech” encompasses all sayings that are Islamically required and recommended. As for any speech is not intrinsically good and that does not lead to goodness, ot

should avoid it, and opt for silence instead. :

3) Good Speech Is Charity

In the previous hadith, we are commanded to speak gi words or to remain silent, with no third option being giv Hence we are simply given a command, but in other Ahadeeth are reminded of the benefits of speaking good words. Al Hurairah 2 related that the Messenger of Allah # said,

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" Bukhaaree (6018), and the wording here is his. Muslim (47) and (75751) both related it as well.

“All joints [of] people’s [bodies] have charity upon them. Every day in which the sun rises and one is just between two [litigants], he is doing an act of charity; if he helps a man climb his mount or raises his things to him, he is doing an act of charity; if he says a good word, he is doing an act of charity; every step one takes to prayer is an act of charity; and one does an act of charity whenever he removes something harmful from the road.”

It is often the case that one says a good phrase that distances him from the Hellfire. ‘Adee Ibn Haatim 2 related that the Prophet # remembered the Hellfire, turned his face, and then sought refuge from it. Then again, he # remembered the Hellfire, turned his face away, and then sought refuge from it. He #% then said,

“Ward off the Hellfire, even if it is with half a date (by giving it

in charity); and if one cannot find [even] that, then with a good word.”

4) The Merits Of Limiting One’s Speech And The Blameworthiness Of Talking Too Much

Because talkativeness leads to sinning and because carelessness

in choosing one’s words leads to mistakes, we are encouraged to

limit our speech. Al-Mugheerah Ibn Sho’bah # related that the

Messenger of Allah # said,

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“Indeed, Allah has forbade you from being undutiful to your mothers; from wrongfully preventing others from wealth, or

'| Bukhaaree (6563), and the wording here is his; Muslim (1016) and AnNassaaee (2553) also related it, and except for the last part, so did Ahmad

wrongfully asking for (or taking) wealth; and from burying your daughters alive.

And He 3€ has disliked for you gossip, asking too many

questions, and wasting wealth.” “Gossip,” as An-Nawawee

explained, refers to one speaking about the conditions and actions of others when they do not concern him.

Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah 2 reported that the Messenger of Allah #8

said, BIE! SULT aU lamhanetumade

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“Verily, the most beloved of you to me and the one among you who will be seated closest to me on the Day of Resurrection is the best of you in manners. The most hateful of you to me and those among you who will be seated farthest from me on the Day of Resurrection are the Ath-Tharthaaroon (those who speak too much in an affected manner), Al-Mutashaddigoon (those who feign eloquence; one way they do that is in the exaggerated movement of their mouth when they speak), and Al-Mutafaihigoon.”

The Companions asked, “O’ Messenger of Allah, we know the meaning of Ath-Tharthaaroon and Al-Mutashaddiqoon, but who are the Al-Mutafaihiqoon?” He #% said,

52K aa) “The arrogant ones.

Abu Hurairah 4 said, “There is no good to be found in superfluous speech.” And ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab said, “Whoever speaks frequently errs frequently.” And Ibn Al-

' Related by At-Tirmidhee from the hadith of Jaabir (2018); the abovementioned wording is taken from his narration, about which he said, “This hadith is Hasan Ghareeb” And Ahmad related it from the hadith of Abu Tha’labah Al-Khushanee (17278).

Qaasim said, “I heard Maalik say, ‘There is no good to be found in abundant speech,’ and he said that this quality is found most among women and children, who speak continuously without ever remaining silent...”

5) The Prohibition Of Backbiting And Slander

Backbiting, as defined by the Prophet #, is “to mention your brother with something that he dislikes.” So when one backbites his brother, what he says might actually be true; on the other hand, to slander is to say something false about one’s brother. After the Prophet 2% said that backbiting is “to mention your brother with something that he dislikes,” someone asked, “Suppose what I say about my brother is true?’ The Messenger of Allah # answered, “If what you said about him is true, then you have backbitten him; and if what you said about him is not true, then you have slandered him.”

In the Qur’an and Sunnah, we are warned over and over again about the grave consequences of backbiting and slandering. The prohibition of these two sins is well-known to the masses of Muslims, yet many persist in giving free rein to their tongues, in attacking the honor of others with impunity. Shaitaan, in his constant effort to divide Muslims and sow dissension among them, beautifies the acts of backbiting and slandering, because he knows mutual hatred and distrust among Muslims will result. Shaitaan’s aims and objectives are always at odds with those of the Shariah; whereas the Shariah came to unite Muslims and bring their hearts closer to one another, Shaitaan strives for the opposite results - for people to hate one another, to speak ill of one another, and to harbor evil thoughts about one another. Jaabir related that the Prophet #% said,

“Verily, Shaitaan has lost hope of worshippers worshipping him

in the Arabian Peninsula, but [he still hopes] to sow dissension among them.”

Shaitaan knows that they will not worship him, so he strives to stir up hatred, disputes, trials, and wars. And Shaitaan is well aware of the fact that backbiting and slandering are two seeds that lead to the growth of hatred, disputes, and many other ills.

An enemy, by his very nature, does not want good to befall his foe; in fact, he desires for evil to befall him. If we do not doubt this, we must realize that our greatest enemy, Shaitaan, works tirelessly to bring harm to us, which is why Allah 3 ordered us to treat Shaitaan as an enemy and to wage war against him:

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OH 3 BK ke et Gy Uke BG Sk SS Gh 4p Reo oal “Surely Shaitaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him

as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire” (Quran 35:6)