THE TONGUE

FRIEND OR FOE..

“Not a word does he utter but there is a vigilant guardian.” (Quran - 50;18)

The Prophet (saw) said: • “A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah

without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire.” (Bukhari)

• “When a man gets up in the morning, all the limbs humble themselves before the tongue and say, "Fear Allah for our sake, for we are dependent on you; if you are straight we are straight, but if you are crooked we are crooked.” (Tirmidhi)

BEWARE!

When Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) was asked what he feared most for him, he took hold of his own tongue and said, "This.” (Tirmidhi )

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Will people not be thrown face down into Hell only on account of the harvest of their tongue?” (Tirmidhi)

THE TONGUE- AN ENEMY

A man slips more by his tongue than by his foot.”(Baihaqi)

THE TREACHERIES OF THE TONGUE..

AIMLESS TALK A waste of precious time..

The Prophet (s.a.w) used to forbid ‘Qil’ and ‘Qal’ (idle,useless talk or that you talk too much about others.) (Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said, “It is enough falsehood for a man to relate everything he hears.” (Abu Dawood)

When one of the companions died a man said, "Rejoice over his Paradise." Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said, "Do you say this when you do not know whether he perhaps spoke about what did not concern him, or was niggardly about something which would cause him no loss?” (Tirmidhi)

UNNECESSARY QUESTIONSExcessive Curiosity..

“And pursue not that of which you have no knowledge; for every act of hearing or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).” (Quran 17;36)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Part of a man's good

observance of Islam is that he leaves alone what does not concern him.” (Tirmidhi)

HARSH SPEECH

“It is part of the Mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them. Were you severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about you.” (Quran - 3;159)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “ Indeed Allah is gentle and He loves gentleness, and He

gives due to gentleness and He does not give due to harshness, and He does not give upon anything else besides it.” (Muslim)

“ He who is deprived of gentleness is deprived of goodness.” (Muslim)

LEWD SPEECH & SINFUL TALK “Come not near to shameful deeds whether open

or secret” (Quran - 6;155)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “There is no indecency in anything except for it makes it

defective.” (Tirmidhi)

• “Indecency is from the (useless) scum and the (useless) scum leads to the Fire.” (Tirmidhi)

• “Allah does not like the one who is unseemly and lewd in his language.”(Abu Dawud)

• “Obscenity and eloquence are two branches of hypocrisy.” (Tirmidhi)

Contd….

Contd..

Lewd Speech & Sinful Talk

Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said , "All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the Mujahirin (those who commit a sin openly or

disclose their sins to the people). An example of such disclosure is that a person commits a sin at night and though Allah screens it from

the public, then he comes in the morning, and says, 'O so-and-so, I did such-and-such (evil)

deed yesterday,' though he spent his night screened by his Lord (none knowing about his

sin) and in the morning he removes Allah's screen from himself.“ (Bukhari)

BACKBITING & SLANDERTalking negatively about others..

• “Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and backbiter.” (Quran - 104;1)

• “Nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest it” (Quran - 49;12)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “ A Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are

safe.” (Muslim)• “When I was taken up to heaven I passed by people who had nails

of copper and were scratching their faces and their breasts. I said: Who are these people, Gabriel? He replied: They are those who were given to back biting and who aspersed people's honor. (Abu Dawud)

The Difference between Backbiting & Slander..

Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said: “Do you know what is backbiting?” They (the Companions) said:

“Allah and His Apostle (s.a.w) know best. Thereupon he (the Prophet) said: “Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a

manner which he does not like.” It was said to him: “What is your opinion about this that if I

actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of?” He (s.a.w) said: “If (that

failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him

it is a slander. (Muslim)

CARRYING TALESto make mischief..

“ A slanderer going about with calumnies.”

(Quran 68;11) The Prophet (s.a.w) said, “A person who is addicted to telling

tales will not enter Paradise.” (Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w) once passed by two graves and said, "They (the deceased persons in those graves) are being tortured not for a great thing to avoid." And then added, "Yes, (they are being punished for a big sin), for one of them used to go about with calumnies while the other never saved himself from being soiled with his urine.” (Bukhari)

SARCASM & TAUNTING

“Nor be sarcastic to each other nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (Indeed) doing wrong.” (Quran - 49;11).

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “A believer does not taunt, curse, abuse or talk indecently.” (Tirmidhi)

RIDICULING OTHERS • O you who believe! let not some men among you laugh at others: it

may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former)” (Quran - 49;11)

• O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. ( Quran - 16;13)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor

humiliates him nor looks down upon him.” “The piety is here,” (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. “It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith; his blood, his wealth and his honor.” (Muslim)

• “I do not like that I imitate anyone even if I should get such and such.” (Abu Dawud)

QUARELLING

“We have explained in detail in this Qur'an for the benefit of mankind every kind of similitude: but man is in most things contentious.” (Quran -18;54)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• "The most hated person in the sight of Allah, is the

most quarrelsome person.” (Bukhari)• “He who abandons disputing, having been speaking

the truth, will have one (castle) built for him in the middle of Paradise.” (TirmidhI)

CURSING The Prophet (s.a.w) said: • “The believer is not given to cursing.” (Tirmidhi)• “If somebody curses a believer, then his sin will be as if

he murdered him.” (Bukhari)• “Men accustomed to cursing will not be intercessors or

witnesses on the Day of Resurrection.” (Muslim)• “If anyone curses a thing undeservedly, the curse returns

upon him.”(Abu Dawud)• “Don't curse yourselves, nor your children, nor your

belongings. There is the possibility that your curse may synchronize with the time when Allah is about to confer upon you what you demand and thus your prayer may be readily answered.”(Muslim)

• “Do not invoke Allah's curse, Allah's anger, or Hell.” (Abu Dawud)

ABUSING The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “A believer does not taunt, curse, abuse or talk indecently.” (Tirmidhi).

• “Abusing a Muslim is an evil doing.” (Bukhari)

• “Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up: (1)Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. (2)Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. (3)Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous. (4)Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.”(Bukhari)

• “It is one of the greatest sins that a man should curse his parents." It was asked (by the people), "O Allah's Apostle! How does a man curse his parents?" The Prophet said, "The man abuses the father of another man and the latter abuses the father of the former and abuses his mother.“ (Bukhari)

LYING “Allah does not guide he who is a liar and disbeliever.” (Quran - 39;3) The Prophet (s.aw.) said• "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to

Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.” (Bukhari)

• "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks he tells a lie; whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he promises he breaks his promise.” (Bukhari)

• "When a man lies, the angel moves a mile from him because of the bad odour of what he has produced.“ (Tirmidhi)

• "He who abandons lying, having been false, will have a castle built for him just within Paradise. (Tirmidhi)

• “Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!” (Abu Dawud)

• And whoever intentionally ascribes something to me falsely, he will surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire. (Bukhari)

BEWARE..

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “I had seen (a dream) last night that two men came to me, caught hold of my hands, and took me to the Sacred Land (Jerusalem). There, I saw a

person sitting and another standing with an iron hook in his hand pushing it inside the mouth of the former till it reached the jawbone, and then tore off one side of his

cheek, and then did the same with the other side; in the meantime the first side of his cheek became normal

again and then he repeated the same operation again.”He (s.a.w) was told: “As for the one whose cheek you saw being torn away, he was a liar and he used to tell

lies, and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So, he will be

punished like that till the Day of Resurrection.” (Bukhari)

MAKING FALSE PROMISES

“ O you who believe! fulfill (all) obligations.” (Quran - 5;1)

The Prophet said:• "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks he tells a lie;

whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he promises he breaks his promise.” (Bukhari)

• "Don't dispute with your brother; don't make jokes with him; and don't make him a promise which you break.” (Tirmidhi)

• "Every betrayer will have a flag which will be fixed on the Day of Resurrection, and the flag's prominence will be made in order to show the betrayal he committed.“ (Bukhari)

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) was asked, 'Can the believer be a coward?' He said, 'Yes.' He was asked, 'Can the believer be a miser?' He said, 'Yes.' He was asked, 'Can the believer be a liar?' He said, 'No.' “ (Muwatta)

• .

REVEALING SECRETS The Prophet (s.a.w) said: • “When a man tells something and then departs, it is a

trust.” (Abu Dawood)• “If anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will

conceal his faults in this world and the next.” (Muslim)• “He who sees something which should be kept hidden

and conceals it, will be like one who has brought to life a girl buried alive.” (Tirmidhi)

• “The most wicked among the people in the eye of Allah on the Day of Judgment is the man who goes to his wife and she comes to him, and then he divulges her secret.” (Muslim)

• “Every betrayer will have a flag which will be fixed on the Day of Resurrection, and the flag's prominence will be made in order to show the betrayal he committed.” (Bukhari)

BRAGGING & BOASTING“For Allah loves not any vain-glorious boaster.” (Quran - 57;23)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: • “Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble, so

that no one oppresses another and boasts over another.” (Abu Dawud)

• “These genealogies of yours are not a cause of reviling anyone. You are all sons of Adam, just as one sa' is near another when you have not filled it. No one has superiority over another except in religion and piety. It is enough reproach for a man to be foul, obscene and niggardly.” (Tirmidhi)

EXAGGERATION IN SPEECH The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “The people who exaggerate are ruined. “ He repeated

this thrice.” (Muslim)

• “Allah, the Exalted, hates the eloquent one among men who moves his tongue round (among his teeth), as cattle do.” (Abu Dawood)

• “Obscenity and eloquence are two branches of hypocrisy.” (Tirmidhi)

• “Those of you who will be most hateful to me and farthest from me will be those with evil characters, who speak much, are loud-mouthed and talkative.” (Tirmidhi)

EXCESSIVE PRAISE The Prophet (s.a.w) said:"Do not exaggerate in praising me as the

Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.” (Bukhari)

A man praised another man in front of the Prophet (s.a.w). The Prophet (s.a.w) said to him, "Woe to you, you have cut off your companion's neck, you have cut off your companion's neck," repeating it several times and then added, "Whoever amongst you has to praise his brother should say, 'I think that he is so and so, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him so and so,' if he really knows what he says about him.” (Bukhari)

Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) commanded to throw dust upon the faces of those who shower too much praise. (Muslim)

DOUBLE TONGUED(Deliberately inconsistent)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “One of the most evil of people is the two-faced

person who shows one face to these people and another face to those people.” (Muwatta)

• “He who is two-faced in this world will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Resurrection.” (Abu Dawood)

SOME OTHER THINGS..

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “Do not laugh immoderately, for immoderate

laughter causes the heart to die.’ (Tirmidhi)

• “Singing produces hypocrisy in the heart.” (Abu Dawud)

• When the subject of poetry was mentioned to Allah's Messenger (s.a.w),he said, "It is speech, and what is good in it is good and what is bad is bad.“ (Tirmidhi)

REMEMBER..

Some people asked Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands.“ (Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• "A man speaks a good word, not realizing its worth, for which Allah

records for him His good pleasure till the day he meets Him. A man also speaks an evil word not realizing its importance for which Allah records for him His displeasure till the day he meets Him.” (Tirmidhi)

• “Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him.” (Bukhari)

• The worst servants of Allah are those who go about slandering, who separate friends, and seek to distress the upright.“ (Tirmidhi)

• “He who keeps silence will be safe.” (Tirmidhi)

Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said: "Do you know who is poor?” They (the Companions of the Prophet) said: “A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham

with him nor wealth.” He (the Prophet) said: “The poor of my Ummah would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he

would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others

and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues

would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account)

and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.” (Muslim)

THE TONGUE- A FRIEND

“The believer strives with his sword and his tongue.” (Tirmidhi)

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

except..

DHIKR-REMEMBRANCEPrayer, Quran, supplication, praising, glorifying,

magnifying Allah, seeking forgiveness

• “O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance.” (Quran - 33:41)

• “And the remembrance of Allah is greater.”(Quran - 29;45)

• “For without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”(Quran -13;28)

• “Then remember Me, I will remember you.” (Quran - 2;152)

• “This (the Quran) is no less than a dhikr for all the worlds.” ( Quran - 38;49)

Contd.. DHIKR The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• Allah has said: “I am with My servant when he remembers Me and his

lips move making mention of Me.” (Bukhari) • “A man does nothing more calculated to rescue him from Allah’s

punishment than making mention of Allah.” (Tirmidhi) • “The best property is a tongue which mentions Allah, a grateful heart,

and a believing wife who helps a man with his faith.“ (Tirmidhi)• “No other act of man is a more effective means for his deliverance from

the chastisement of Allah than the remembrance of Allah.'' (Ahmad) • “The devil is encircling the heart of the son of Adam, when he mentions

Allah, he withdraws; but when he is neglectful, he makes evil suggestions.” (Bukhari)

• When a man said: “O Messenger of Allah the ordinances of Islam are too many for me, so tell me something that I may cling to”, he (saw) replied: “Your tongue will continue to be supple by making mention of Allah.” (Tirmidhi )

• )

Allah (s.w.t) says:“If anyone withdraws himself from remembrance of (Allah) Most Gracious We appoint for him an evil one to be an

intimate companion to him.” (Quran – 43;36)

INVOKING BLESSINGS ON THE PROPHET (s.a.w)

“Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O you that believe! send blessings on him and salute him

with all respect. (Quran - 33;56) The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “If anyone invokes blessings upon me once, Allah will

bestow blessings upon him ten times over." (Muslim)• “He who invokes one blessings upon me, Allah will

shower ten blessings upon him and obliterate ten sins (of his) and elevate him by ten ranks.” (Nasa‘i)

• “The people nearest to me on the Day of Judgment will be the ones most conscientious in invoking blessings upon me.“ (Tirmidhi)

IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE

The Prophet (s.a.w) said• “Pass on information from me, even if it only a verse

of the Quran.” (Bukhari)

• “Do not wish to be like anyone, except in two cases: (1) A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends

it righteously. (2) A man whom Allah has given wisdom (knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith) and he acts according to it and teaches it to others.“ (Bukhari)

• “Verily (for the scholars) Allah and His angels, the dwellers of the Heavens and of the Earth, even an ant in its hole and fish (in the depth of water) invoke blessings on one who teaches people goodness.” (Tirmidhi)

ENJOINING GOOD& FORBIDDING WRONG DOING

“You are the best of peoples evolved for mankind enjoining what is right forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah.” (Quran - 3;110)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “He who amongst you sees something abominable

should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue; and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart and that is the least of faith.” (Muslim)

• "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin what is reputable and forbid what is disreputable, or Allah will certainly soon send punishment from Himself to you. Then you will make supplication and not receive an answer.” (Tirmidhi)

GIVING GREETINGS OF PEACE

“When a (courteous) greeting is offered you meet it with a greeting still more courteous (at least) of equal courtesy.” (Quran - 4;86)

A man asked the Prophet, "What Islamic traits are the best?" The Prophet said, "Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know.” (Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “If you worship the Compassionate One, provide food,

and greet all whom you meet, you will enter Paradise in peace.” (Tirmidhi)

• “When you enter your home greet your people with the salutation of peace. It will be a source of blessing for you and for the members of your family.”(Tirmidhi)

SPEAKING IN A GOOD MANNER

“And speak to people good (words)” (Quran - 2;83)

The Prophet (s.a.w) • “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should

talk what is good or keep quiet.” (Bukhari)

• “Whenever gentleness is added to something, it adorns it and whenever it is withdrawn from something it leaves it defective.” (Muslim)

• "Protect yourselves from the Fire, even if with one half of a date and he who hasn't got even this, (should do so) by (saying) a good, pleasant word.” (Bukhari)

HELPING PEOPLE“Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes

a partner therein: and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden: and Allah has power over all things.” (Quran - 94;85)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:• “If you make intercession, you will be rewarded.” (Abu Dawud)

• “Shall I not inform you of something more excellent in degree than fasting, prayer and almsgiving (sadaqah)?” The people replied: “Yes, Prophet of Allah!” He said: “It is putting things right between people, spoiling them is the shaver (destructive).”(Abu Dawud)

• “No (Muslim) man who will help a Muslim in a place where his honor may be aspersed and his respect violated without Allah helping him in a place where he wishes his help.” (Abu Dawud)

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet.”

(Bukhari)