BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR TONGUE!

05-12-2019

Be careful with your tongue!

 

"A man says something Allah loathes, about which he does not think twice, for which he is thrown into hell."

 

Unfortunately, a visible characteristic of many young people these days is a loose mouth! Schoolyards and teeny hangouts are full of bragging, cursing, lying, sex talk, belittling, faecal language and any other sin of the tongue you can imagine. Children constantly say terrible things to others and have little or no self-control. Many adults do the same and even earn large sums of money in the media and the music industry. It seems that people take it very easily what comes out of their mouths, although words can do more damage than swords. Most sins committed by the Son of Adam are sins of the tongue. No other organ commits more sin than the tongue.

 

The Prophet said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day shall say what is good or keep quiet.

 

The Prophet s.a.w. was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, who is the best of the Muslims?" And he said: He from whom the other Muslims are safe (from tongue and hand)."

 

"The perfection of a person's Islam involves letting that be what doesn't concern you."

 

"All a man's words are directed against him, except to ask him to do good, to forbid shameful things and the remembrance of Allah the Exalted."

 

Imam Nawawi says: "Every legally responsible person should say nothing unless there is a clear advantage in speaking. When speech and silence have equal advantages, it is Sunna to be silent, because permitted speech quickly leads to illicit or despicable speech, as it almost always happens - and there is no substitute for security."

 

 

Ghiba (defamation)

O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful. (12) Sura 49

 

Woe unto every slandering traducer, (1) Sura 104

 

The Prophet s.a.w. said: "The slanderer will not enter the Paradise!"

 

"The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim. He is not cheating on him, not lying to him or not coming to his aid. Everything a Muslim has is inviolable to his Muslim brother: his reputation, his possessions, his blood. Fear of God is here (points to his heart). It's shameful enough for someone to bring down their Muslim brother."

 

Not only is it forbidden to commit slander, it is also forbidden to listen to it and to do it yourself in his heart, so not to control his thoughts, should they ascend in one!

 

Of course, in certain situations it is unavoidable, and therefore also allowed to disclose someone else's mistakes, e.g. in court to warn others, etc.

"Rumors-Cuisine"

 

A Muslim should not tell anything about others unless it is important. It is forbidden to tell anything about someone that they do not want to let know, unless this is inevitable.

 

The Prophet s.a.w. said: "It is enough as a lie for someone to repeat everything he hears."

 

 

Falsehood

 

Lo! Allah guideth not one who is a prodigal, a liar.  Sura 40 Verse 28

„The signs of a hypocrite are three: When he says, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it and when something is entrusted to him, he embezzles it."

You also sin when you lie unintentionally because you act imprudently:
(O man), follow not that whereof thou hast no knowledge. Lo! the hearing and the sight and the heart - of each of these it will be asked. (36) Sura 17

 

The Prophet s.a.w. said: "Speak the truth, even if it is bitter!"

Useless gossip

Ibn Mas'ud r.a. heard the prophets s.a.w. saying: "The greatest one in sin on Judgment Day will be the one who spoke the most about uselessness and immorality".

 

Dissimulation

Hypocrisy is defined as a discrepancy between a person's external speech and internal state.

 

Lo! the hypocrites (will be) in the lowest deep of the Fire, and thou wilt find no helper for them; (145) Sura 4

 

The Prophet s.a.w. explained that the most despicable people on Judgment Day would be those "with the two faces" (the hypocrites).

 

 

Sarcasm, mockery and irony

Sarcasm, mockery and irony are forbidden when it downgrades someone.

Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours, and deride them - Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom. (79) Sura 9

 

Kidding, joking

To kid, to joke is of course also forbidden when this makes someone down. Even if it doesn't belittle anyone, you shouldn't do it excessively:

The Prophet s.a.w. said: "Avoid excessive laughter, for too much laughter kills the heart."

 

 

Debating, using hard expressions

It is good to discuss in order to bring the truth to light by exchanging arguments. All too often, however, a discussion degenerates into a debate where it is primarily a question of "being right"! Such a debate is generally ego-driven and leads to bad feelings and even hatred against others! It is Satan's goal to arouse debate and discord.

 

"Satan has given up worshipping him on the Arabian Peninsula, but he strives to sow discord among the faithful."

 

In a debate, hard expressions are generally used, which are only allowed if one rightfully reprimands someone and the reprimand with gentle words has no effect.

 

obscene, vulgar language

A fine way of expression is the characteristic of a Muslim, as the Koran teaches it:

If ye divorce them before ye have touched them and ye have appointed unto them a portion, then (pay the) half of that which ye appointed, unless they (the women) agree to forgo it, or he agreeth to forgo it in whose hand is the marriage tie. To forgo is nearer to piety. And forget not kindness among yourselves. Allah is Seer of what ye do. (237) Sura 2

 

 

How can ye take it (back) after one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have taken a strong pledge from you? (21) Sura 4

 

Common expressions such as "Such a sh..!" belong into the toilet and not into the mouth!

 

Frighten

"Whoever frightens a believer, Allah will not protect him from the terror of Judgment Day as a just retribution."

 

 

Disrespectful language towards parents

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. (23) Sura 17

Respectful language towards parents is increasingly becoming a scarce commodity and one now talks to them like a friend.

 

And when the Qur'an is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that ye may obtain mercy. (204) Sura 7

For this reason it is bad to let the Koran sound out of mosque loudspeakers and to run it as "background music", as is unfortunately often the case in "Muslim countries", since one forces everyone to listen!

 

 

Boastfulness

Those who avoid enormities of sin and abominations, save the unwilled offences - (for them) lo! thy Lord is of vast mercy. He is best aware of you (from the time) when He created you from the earth, and when ye were hidden in the bellies of your mothers. Therefor ascribe not purity unto yourselves. He is best aware of him who wardeth off (evil). (32) Sura 53

 

"Allah has inspired me that you should all be humble to one another, that no one should offend against another or behave arrogantly."

 

Many other sins of the tongue could still be mentioned, but this should be enough to admonish us to pay attention to our words! People who take care of their words enjoy many advantages. Those who are known for their pleasant, kind and good speech, and who avoid unnecessary and negative talk, reap the respect and trust of others. Friends will feel safe and people will find it easier to do business with them. You will enjoy a good reputation. You will hear more good things and thus learn more, and you will surely have a big and illuminated heart. There are no negative effects when keeping the tongue, and everyone can learn it with diligence and effort. No other organ commits more sin, but we should be the exception