How many trials ignite in Muslim societies, how many conflicts, how many homes collapse, relationships break down, and innocents pay the price due to unrestrained tongues with no fear of Allah, no piety, no accuracy, or verification of sources, or knowing what should be said and what should be kept silent if it does not benefit Muslims, or if its harm outweighs its benefit. The scourge of societies is spreading lies and rumors.
Imam al-Nawawi points out what helps a speaker to guard his tongue, saying: It is incumbent upon one who wishes to speak, to ponder their words within themselves before speaking it. If its benefit is apparent, they speak; otherwise, they remain silent. (1)
The principle for a Muslim is to restrain the tongue except in beneficial matters. He thinks about the word before uttering it to avoid creating a problem that cannot be remedied later, preventing speech except in what benefits the individual and society. When 'Uqbah bin 'Amir asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): “O Messenger of Allah! What is the means to salvation?” He said, “That you control your tongue, suffice yourself your house, and cry over your sins.” (reported by at-Tirmidhi) The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good, or keep silent.” (reported by al-Bukhari)
Thus, silence should be the original state for a Muslim, and the exception is speaking in what is beneficial, no more.
Regarding restraining the tongue from harming Muslims, there are several points:
Firstly, a Muslim is from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe:
One of the most important characteristics of a Muslim is to protect his fellow Muslim and refrain from harming him even with a word. Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe; and a Muhajir (Emigrant) is the one who refrains from what Allah has forbidden.” (Agreed upon) Allah warns against falsely harming a Muslim, saying: “And those who harm believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned have certainly born upon themselves a slander and manifest sin.” (Al-Ahzab: 58)
The visible mark of a Muslim as a clear character before people is their safety from his tongue by verbal harm, and his hand by physical harm. Allah says, “Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.” (An-Nur: 19) Al-Tabari said: Those who like to spread adultery among those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and make it apparent among them.
Abu Darda reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever spreads (rumors about) a Muslim with a word, and he is innocent of it, accusing him with it in this world, it is incumbent upon Allah to melt him in the Fire until he brings forth the execution of what he said.”
In another narration by Abu Darda, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever mentions a man with something not in him to defame him with it, Allah will detain him in Hellfire until he brings forth the implementation of what he said.” (Reported by Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir)
Secondly, Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is Leaving What doesn’t Concern them:
Among the afflictions of the tongue is that a Muslim speaks about matters that do not concern him or intervenes in issues that do not benefit Muslims or himself personally. Part of the excellence of a Muslim’s faith, meaning among the virtues of a person’s Islam and the perfection of his faith, is to leave what does not concern him in worldly matters, whether in speech or action.
Ibn Taymiyya, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Especially the excessive curiosity about matters that do not concern a person regarding the religion or the world of others. (2)
It is said: If a person limits himself to what concerns him, he will be spared from great evil, and being safe from evil is better. (3)
Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Sa'di said: Whoever does not leave what does not concern him, he is poor in his Islam. (4)
Ibn al-Qayyim said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) summarized piety in one word, saying: “Part of the excellence of a man's Islam is that he leaves what does not concern him.” This encompasses leaving all that does not concern one in speech, sight, listening, grasping, walking, thinking, and all other outward and inward movements. This is a comprehensive word for piety. (5)
Malik ibn Dinar said: “If you find hardness in your heart, weakness in your body, and deprivation in your sustenance, know that you have spoken about what does not concern you. Speaking about what does not concern a person hardens the heart, weakens the body, and makes sustenance difficult.”
It is narrated that Quss bin Saa'idah and Aktham ibn Saifi met, and one of them asked the other: “How many faults have you found in the son of Adam?” He replied: “They are too numerous to be counted. But those I counted are 8 thousand faults, one fault I found prevents all other faults.” He asked, “What is it?” He said, “Guarding one’s tongue.”
At-Tirmidhi reported that Anas bin Malik narrated that a man among his companions was dying so he said- meaning a man said to him: “Glad tidings of Paradise.” To which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: “You do not know. Perhaps he spoke of what did not concern him or he was greedy with that which would not decrease him.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
For a Muslim to leave what does not concern him includes avoiding gossip, slander among people, and striving to create discord among them, along with other unethical deeds.
Thirdly, the Slips and Harvest of the Tongue:
Words hold great significance for a Muslim; they can elevate him to the highest heavens if used correctly or lead him to Hell without him realizing it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed one of you says a statement pleasing to Allah, not realizing that you have achieved what you have achieved. Then for it, Allah writes for him His pleasure until the Day of Meeting Him.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi) The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “A slave of Allah may utter a word without thinking whether it is right or wrong, he may slip down in the Fire as far away a distance equal to that between the east.” (Agreed upon)
He said to Mu'adh: “Shall I not inform you of the controlling of all that?” I replied, “Yes, Prophet of God.” So he took hold of his tongue and said, “Restrain this.” I asked, “Prophet of God, shall we really be punished for what we talk about?” He replied, “I am surprised at you, Mu'adh! Will anything but the harvests of their tongues overthrow men in hell on their faces (or, on their nostrils)?” (Reported by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi)
Among the harmful uses of the tongue that young people take lightly these days is cursing each other’s parents as a joke, escalating insults in retaliation, mocking the creation of Allah, and then claiming it was just a joke. Another example is lying in speech to make people laugh. These actions and behaviors are not befitting of a Muslim, who has the responsibility to guide the world, raise the banner of monotheism, and unite hearts, not divide them. Allah says: “On a Day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will bear witness against them as to what they used to do.” (An-Nur: 24) And He says: “That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.” (Yasin: 65)
Fourthly, False Statements and Testimonies:
The Quran has emphasized and warned against false testimony and false speech. Allah says: “That [has been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allah - it is best for him in the sight of his Lord. And permitted to you are the grazing livestock, except what is recited to you. So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement.” (Al-Hajj: 30) And He describes the believers: “And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity.” (Al-Furqan: 72) And He says: “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.” (Al-Isra: 36)
We have come across several hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) warning against false statements and threatening their perpetrators with punishment. Among false statements is attributing to the Prophet (peace be upon him) what he did not say. He said: “Beware of narrating from me except what I taught you, for whoever lies about me on purpose, then let him take his seat in the Fire. And whoever says (something) about the Qur'an according to his (own) opinion, then let him take his seat in the Fire.” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi)
False statements and false testimonies, when widespread in society, remove its security, cause the loss of rights, increase the number of oppressed people, and such a society lacks the characteristics of a Muslim community. It suffices that false testimony drives the Prophet of Islam to repeatedly warn about its consequences. In his hadith (peace be upon him): “Shall I not inform you of the biggest of the major sins?” Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked this question thrice. We said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah. (Please inform us.)” He said, “Ascribing partners to Allah, and to be undutiful to your parents.” Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat up from his reclining position and said, “And I warn you against giving forged statement and a false testimony; I warn you against giving forged statement and a false testimony.” Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) kept on repeating that warning till we wished he would stop.” (Agreed upon)
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- Sharh Sahih Muslim by Imam An-Nawawi (18/328).
- A Great Compilation of Fatwa (14/482).
- Tawdeeh al-Ahkaam sharh Buloogh al-Maraam (6/393).
- Bahjat Qulub al-Abrar (221).
- Stations of the Seekers (2822).
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