Chapter Four (cont.)

I ? .w I JJ Ji>> "Say: 'Allaah is my Lord: and then remain steadfast (on that)." I said: 'O Messenger of Allaah, what is the most serious thing that I should fear for myself?" So he took a hold of his tongue and said: This."'[151 Abu Moosaa AI-Ash'aree ~ reported: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allaah ! Which of the Muslims is best?' He responded: Guarding the Tongue ((~~:;)) "Whoever remains silent is saved."f..1 71 Abu Hurayrah *' reported that the Prophet ~ said: ''A person may say a word, not realizing its repercussions, for which he will be thrown down into the fire, further than the distance between the east and the west"t:181 This hadith's chain of narrators is weak. I only mention it here, to expose its weakness, since it is a very well known hadith. The authentic Ahaadeeth similar to what I have mentioned here are many and sufficient for one who is granted success. I will mention some words on this regard in the section of backbiting, and with Allaah lies the success. As for the narrations reported on the Salaf concerning this matter, then they are also abundant. There is no need for mentioning them after having heard the previous reports. However, we will briefly inform of some of them. It has reached us that Qass bin Saa'ada and Aktham bin Sayfee .11 "-r J once met and one of them said to the other: "How many defects were you able to find in the son of Aadam?" The other responded: "They are too numerous to count, however, the defects that I was able to account for numbered eight thousand. I also discovered one thing which if put into practice, all of these defects would be kept hidden." He [17) Tirmidhee. [18) Maalik, Muslim 2988. Golden Advice Series 04 asked: "What is it?" He responded: "Guarding the tongue." Abu 'Alee AI-Fudayl bin 'lyyaad Ji\ ..;-_; said: "Whoever limits his speech to be in accordance with his actions, will minimize his speech on that which doesn't concern him." lmaam Ash-Shaafi'ee Ji\ ..;-_; said to his student Ra bee': "O Ra bee'! Do not speak about things that do not concern you, for indeed every time that you speak a word, it takes control of you and you do not have control of it!" 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood ~ said: "There is nothing that deserves to be imprisoned more than the tongue." Others have stated: "The example of the tongue is like that of a savage beast. If you do not lock it up, it will set out against you." Abul-Qaasim AI-Qushayree Ji\..;-_; said in his famous Risaalah: "Remaining silent is salvation and that is a fundamental principle. And staying quiet at the proper time is a characteristic of manhood, just as speaking when it is proper to speak is from the most honourable of matters." And he said: "I heard Abu 'Alee Ad-Daqaaq Ji\..;-_; say: 'Whoever remains silent concerning the truth, then he is a silent devil."' He also said: "As for the preference of those who strive in good to remain silent, then that is because of what they know of the bad consequences that result from talking and from the soul's being pleased with that. It is also because of the praiseworthy attributes that will show (by doing this) and because it will incline him towards distinguishing between its types - whether good speech or its opposite. This is the characteristic of those endowed with religious devotion. And this is one of their pillars with regard to educating the people." The Prohibition of Backbiting and Gossiping Know that these two matters are from the vilest and most despicable of things, yet the most widely spread amongst mankind, such that no one is free from them except for a few people. Thus, I begin with these two, due to the public's need for being warned of them. As for Backbiting (Gheebah), then it is when you mention something about a person (in his absence), that he hates (to have mentioned), whether it is about his body, his religious characteristics, his worldly affairs, his self, his physical appearance, his character, his wealth, his child, his father, his wife, his servant, his slave, his turban, his attire, his manner of walking, his smile, his dissoluteness, his frowning, his cheerfulness or anything else related to the above. Likewise, it is the same whether you mention that about him with words, through writings, or whether you point or indicate him by gesturing with your eyes, hand or head.