Safeguarding the Tongue

The Qu’ran warns:

“O believers! Avoid many suspicions, for indeed, some suspicions are sinful. And do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of their dead brother? You would despise that! And fear Allah. Surely Allah is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.” (Al-Hujurat, 12)

And Allah says in another ayah:

“Do not follow what you have no sure knowledge of. Indeed, all will be called to account for their hearing, sight, and intellect.”(Al-Isra, 36)

Let us also mention the following hadith:

“A man utters a word pleasing to Allah without considering it of any significance for which Allah exalts his ranks (in Jannah); another one speaks a word displeasing to Allah without considering it of any importance, and for this reason, he will sink down into Hell.” (Al-Bukhari)

We are now in the blessed month of Ramadan, the last of the three holy months. These three months are collectively known as the months of fasting. Fasting during Ramadan was made obligatory, whereas fasting in the months of Rajab and Shaban is a  voluntary act of worship. Throughout most of his life, our beloved Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would voluntarily fast more in these two months than in any other time.

In Arabic, the word “siyam” denotes fasting, which means “to distance or refrain oneself from something.” Imam Sarakhsi (rahmatullahi alayh) described fasting as “a specific action by a person within a specific time for the specific purpose to avoid something.”

The wisdom of fasting can be found within and understood from this definition. For a believer, it should not simply mean the bodily restraint from eating and drinking but include the physical and spiritual restraint from engaging in bad habits and manners. 

The phrase “a specific action within a specific time for the specific purpose to avoid something” conveys the guidelines on how we can achieve favorable outcomes by fasting. It has been said that the five daily prayers lead to good morals, while fasting enables one to walk away from bad ones. Under these principles, we should make an effort to further enrich our time in this season of blessings by fasting with both the spiritual and physical aspects of our being.

The ayah mentioned at the beginning of this article warns believers against harboring suspicion against one another or speaking injuriously to or with ill intentions towards them. By the same token, the hadith warns that a believer may utter a word that earns the mercy of Allah and yet may also utter a word that earns the wrath and condemnation of Allah. It is only when words are spoken that judgment is passed. We must therefore only speak words that will please Allah.

Allah (jalla jalaluhu) has forbidden pointless speech, suspicion of others, and looking for faults in other people. Divorcing oneself clearly from these prohibited actions and behaviors is a principal prerequisite of achieving the benefits of fasting, preserving our spiritual welfare, and protecting our gains in hasanah (good deeds) from dwindling and dissolving into nothing.

Thus, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) explained this criterion beautifully:

“Whoever believes in Allah and The Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”

(Al Bukhari, Rikak 23; Muslim, Iman 19)

Imam Nawawi (rahmatullahi alayh) expounded on this paradigm with his assessment:

“Every person who is responsible before Allah is obligated to safeguard their tongue against all forms of speech except those necessary for ensuring and engendering betterment. When deciding whether to speak or remain silent, we should know that it is sunnah to remain silent if both options are equivalent in that regard. This is because words that are permissible can lead to haram (i.e., forbidden) or makruh (i.e., disliked) things. This reality is often evident in our daily affairs. Therefore, there is nothing equal in value to staying safe from haram or makruh things.”

Fasting by being vigilant and careful with what the tongue utters is an important way to draw close to Allah. Abu Huraira (radiyallahu anh) narrates this hadith on what we need to do:

“Fasting is a shield. So, the person observing fasting should not behave impudently (or disrespectfully) and speak ill. And if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, ‘I am fasting.’” (Al-Bukhari, Sawm, 2)

In the state of fasting, avoiding displeasing, vulgar, or harmful words is as vital as keeping food and drink away from the mouth. For a believer, to be a master of one’s speech is a defining quality of good morals. Therefore, our scholars have explained in detail what kind of speech should be avoided.

For example, Imam Ghazali (rahmatullahi alayh) outlined what the causes of disasters brought on by the tongue are: “to speak excessively or about things that are of no real benefit; to delve into fallacious or idle matters; to argue or bicker; to adopt an affected, disingenuous manner in speech; to say unpleasant things; to swear or use foul language; to curse; to recite poetry that is of no benefit; to crack empty jokes; to speak mockingly or mock others; to entertain oneself immoderately or inappropriately; to divulge other people’s secrets; to lie; to make false promises; to swear untruthfully; to gossip; to bear tales and backbite about people to cause division or enmity between them; to double-deal between two opposing parties; to flatter and adulate obsequiously; to misrepresent words without having an accurate or full picture of what’s being said; to ask questions about matters that people will have difficulty in understanding without having a grasp on the attributes of Allah…”

As much as we work rigorously to avoid all displeasing attributes of the tongue, it is necessary that we also steer clear of people with these characteristics as well as gatherings, locations, and publications where such matters are discussed.

Our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) explained the effects of the tongue on the limbs:

“When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all of his limbs defer to the tongue, and they say: Fear Allah regarding us, for we are only a part of you. If you are upright, we are upright. If you are crooked, we are crooked.” (Tirmidhi, Zuhd 60)

The wise people have said, “Words emanate from the heart. Where it springs from is the tongue. Where it departs for is another heart.” Therefore, words need to be checked and cleansed at their source before being told. Otherwise, once spoken, people will be either delighted or hurt by our words. 

In the same way, spoken words will be a testament either in our favor or against us. Accordingly, intelligent people will take special care to protect themselves against the harm of their own speech. Our fasting mouths and prudent silence in servitude to Allah will be a means of conservation inshallah.

Finally, we would like to remind you that the best way to keep the heart clear of the many types of malignity prevalent in cruel words is to speak kindly and benevolently. Therefore, the best remedy is to read and listen to guidebooks on basic Islamic knowledge and books on Islamic beliefs, hadiths, the life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and Islamic moral stories.

It is said, “The mercy of Allah descends upon a place where His righteous servants are remembered.” Let us seek mercy with the words of the righteous people and the lessons they teach. 

We pray kind and gentle words will flow from our hearts and tongues inshallah. We congratulate all believers on a blessed Ramadan and pray that it will be a means to good deeds with grace. Amin.

With His tawfiq and inayah…

Sheik Sayyid M. Mübarek Elhüseyni