Part 45

3 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, al-Darimi and Malik.

* Recorded by al-Tirmidhi.

5 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah.

6 Recorded by Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban, and al-Bazzar.

24. Preserving one’s tongue from cursing the time

Some people curse days, saying: “Today is such and such a day,” or curse the time in general. This is totally forbidden in Islam, because it is considered to be in opposition to or a protest against the Divine Decree and Fate of Allah; for it is Allah 38 who produces the days and nights. Abu Hurayrah 2 reported that the Prophet 3 said: “Allah 3% said: ‘The children of Adam inveigh against the vicissitudes of Time. I am Time; in My Hand is the night and the day.”

25. Preserving one’s tongue from cursing the wind

Ubay ibn Ka‘b reported that the Prophet 48 said: “Do not curse the wind, but when you see that which you dislike, say: ‘O Allah, We ask you for some of the good in this wind, in what it contains and in what it has been commanded to do. We seek refuge in You from the evil in this wind, in what it contains and in what it has been commanded to do”.

Abu Hurayrah 2% reported that the Prophet % said: “The wind comes from Allah’s Mercy. It sometimes brings mercy, and sometimes brings punishment. So when you see it, do not revile it, but ask Allah for some of its good, and seek refuge in Allah from its evil.”?

Al-Shafi‘i said: “No one should curse the wind, for it is the creation of Allah 4€; it obeys Him, it is a soldier among His Army. He 4 makes it a mercy or a punishment, as He wants.”

26. Preserving one’s tongue from cursing the fever

Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah 4 reported that the Prophet 48 visited Umm Sa’ib, saying: “O Umm Sa’ib, why is it that you are shivering? She replied: “Tt is a fever, so may it not be blessed by Allah.” Whereupon he # temarked: “Do not curse a fever, for it expiates the sin of the posterity of Adam, just as a furnace removes thé impurities from iron.”

' Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

? Recorded by al-Tirmidhi who categorised it as hasan sahih. > Recorded by Abu Dawud.

* Recorded by Muslim.

27. Preserving one’s tongue from bearing false witness

Allah 3 said: (shun the word that is false)'!. Abu Bakrah # reported that the Prophet 4 said: “Should I inform you of the greatest of the major sins?” They replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah” He said: “To join others in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one’s parents” The Prophet then sat up after he had been reclining on a pillow, saying: “And I warn you against bearing false witness” and he continued uttering that warning till we thought he would never stop.””

28. Preserving one’s tongue from demanding gratitude after giving charity

Allah 3% said: {O you who believe, do not nullify your sadaga by demands for gratitude or insulting words)’.

Abu Dharr 4 reported that the Prophet 4 said: “There are three persons with whom Allah would neither speak to on the Day of Resurrection, nor He would look at them nor absolve them, and there would be a painful punishment for them.” The Messenger of Allah stated this three times. So Abu Dharr 4% remarked: “They have failed and lost; who are these persons, O Messenger of Allah?” Upon this, the Prophet # explained: “They are: the one who drags his lower garment, one who reminds (someone) of an obligation (due to his/her), and the seller of goods by (making) a false oath (on its quality).’”

29. Preserving one’s tongue from cursing oneself

Sahl ibn Haneef reported that the Prophet # said: “No one of you should say: ‘Wiked am I’ (cursing oneself)!”

’ Surat al-Hajj, verse 30.

* Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

> Surat al-Bagara, verse 264.

* Recorded by Muslim and al-Tirmidhi who categorised it as hasan sahih), and by al-Nasa’i.

* Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

30. Preserving one’s tongue from taking a false oath

Ibn Mas‘ud reported that the Prophet 48 said: “Whoever takes a false oath in order to grab others property, Allah will be angry with him when He meets him.”

Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays # said: “I had a dispute with another man regarding a well and we took the case before the Messenger of Allah. He # told me: “Produce two witnesses (to support. your claim), otherwise the defendant has the right to take an oath to refute your claim” I said: “The defendant would not mind taking a false oath.” The Prophet 3 then said: “Whoever has taken a false oath, in order to grab someone else’s property, will meet Allah Who will be angry with him.”?

31. Preserving one’s tongue from addressing the sinful, deviator and hypocrite as masters

You should know that it is prohibited for a Muslim to address the hypocrite using the title “Sir’, whether orally or in writing, or “the Honourable Mister so-and-so,” even if that hypocrite is a president, minister or king.

Buraydah % reported that the Prophet 48 said: “Do not call a hypocrite sayyid (master), for even if he is a sayyid, you will displease your Lord ag.

32. Preserving the tongue from adding an associate with Allah in one’s speech

This is like when one says: “I rely on Allah and you”, or: “I have none to rely upon but Allah and you” or any similar expression. The term “and” is prohibited in such an expression as it implies associating someone with Allah.

' Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. ? Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. * Recorded by Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i.

Hudayfah # reported that the Prophet # said: “Do not say: ‘What Allah wills and so and so wills,’ but say: ‘What Allah wills, then afterwards so and so wills.’””!

33. Preserving one’s tongue from saying: “It has rained because of such and such a storm”

Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani - said: “The Messenger of Allah led salah al-fajr (the Morning Prayer) in al-Hudaybiya when it had rained the ptevious night. When he 3 had finished the prayer he faced the people, saying: ‘Do you know what your Lord has said?’ They replied: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ (The Prophet said): ‘Allah says: ‘In this morning some of My Worshipers remained as true believers but others became non-believers; he who said that it had rained with the blessing and mercy of Allah is the one who believes in Me and does not believe in (the power of) a star, but he who said it had rained because of such and such (a star) is a disbeliever in Me and is a believer in a star.”

Al-Nawawi said: “The scholars have said: ‘If a Muslim says: “It has rained because of such and such a storm”; meaning that the storm was effectively responsible for the rain, then he becomes a non-believer and apostate, without doubt. But if he says so, meaning that the storm is just a sign for the rain (the rain comes down at the apprearance of such a sign), and that it comes down by the Will of Allah 3%, then he does in fact not turn into a non-believer.’ However, they (the scholars) have differed over the reprehensibility of such a statement; and it is most likely to be reprehensible because such an expression is used by non-believers.”

34. Preserving one’s tongue from criticising food

Abu Hurayrah # said: “The Prophet # never criticised any food presented to him; if he liked it he would eat it, otherwise he would leave it.”?

"Recorded by Abu Dawud. ? Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah 4s reported that the Prophet 3 asked his family for a condiment. They said: ‘We have nothing with us except vinegar’. He asked for it, began to eat, and then he 4 said: “Vinegar is a good condiment. Vinegar is a good condiment.”

35. Preserving one’s tongue from conferring to another in secret

Allah 38 said: (Conferring in secret is from Satan)”.

Ibn Mas‘ud # reported that the Prophet 38 said: “When you are three persons sitting together, then no two of you should hold secret counsel excluding the third person, until you are in the company of some other people, as that would grieve him.”

36. Preserving one’s tongue from asking for lost property in the mosque

Abu Hurayrah # reported that the Prophet 3 said: “If anyone hears a man crying out in the mosque about something he has lost, he should reply: ‘May Allah not restore it to you, for the mosques were not built for this.”

37. Preserving one’s tongue from seeking provisions from anyone besides Allah

Some people cry out for resources from other than Allah; they would invoke others (who could be dead) asking for provisions, saying for example: “We ask for resources (madad), O Messenger of Allah 38!” This is a grave mistake, because seeking help from anyone besides Allah 4 is an act of polytheism. It is Allah 3¢ Alone who is the Giver, who provides one person with knowledge, another with power, and another with wealth, etc. So, it should not be sought from anyone else

' Recorded by Muslim.

? Surat.al-Mujadilah, verse 10.

> Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majha and al- * Recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and al-Darimi.

even if he was a Close Angel of Allah, a Messenger of Allah, or a Righteous Servant of Allah.

Allah 3% said: (We sustain each one, the former and the latter, through the generous giving of your Lord, and the giving of your Lord is not restricted)’.

38. Preserving one’s tongue against asking for relief from anyone besides Allah

Allah 4€ said: (Remember when you called on your Lord for help and He responded to you)’.

Aid should be sought only from the One Who owns it; and that is Allah 3g.

The summary of the preservation of one’s tongue is that it should be used only for our benefit, both in our religion and worldly matters, and not in wasting hours of our lives in foolish, distractive and false talk; for our lifetime is extremely valuable.

I (the author) have discussed, in detail, some of issues regarding the preservation of one’s tongue, because it remains the most powerful nest to get hold of man; and this is exemplified in the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah ., who said: “The Messenger of Allah 8 was asked about those things which would enable most people to enter Paradise. He 4 answered: ‘Being careful about one’s obligations to Allah, and having good behaviour.’ Thereafter, he was asked: ‘What are those things which would lead one to Hell?’ He answered: ‘His mouth and genitals.””?