In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Much can be said of a person’s character by the way he uses his tongue. The tongue is one of the smallest organs of one's body yet it possesses great capacity to be used for evil that plunge one into the Hellfire. May Allah save us from the Fire.
Once the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, held his tongue and said that people are thrown into Hell on their faces because of the sins of their tongues.
Types of Bad Tongues:
1. The Lying Tongue: If it is not true, it is a lie. Someone who lies has one of the four characteristics of a hypocrite. Lying tongue is a misuse of a deadly weapon. It can be used to harm others near at hand (a maul), a few feet away (a sword), or a great distance away (an arrow). Shaytan is the father of lies. Remember how he tricked our father, Adam? And many many many people, religious or otherwise, for his ultimate evil purpose--to make mankind his companions in Hell.
When we speak, we speak truthfully and wisely in straightforward words; know what to say, how to say it and when to say it.
Allah Almighty says,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ﴿٧٠﴾ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٧١[Qur'an Ahzab 33:70-71]
O you who believe, fear Allah, and speak in straightforward words. (70) If you do so, Allah will correct your deeds for your benefit, and forgive your sins for you. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger achieves a great success. (71)
2. The Backbiting Tongue: A backbiter is someone who uses his tongue against you when you aren’t around. Yet he will not face you with his charges when you are present. This is a cowardly person who would rather stir up problems than solve them.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was asked,
"What is backbiting?" He said, "Mentioning your brother with what he detests." He asked, "Have you considered if what I say is really in him?" He answered, "If what you say is in him then you have backbitten him, and if what you say is not in him then you have calumniated/slandered him."[Tirmidhi]
Allah Almighty says,
وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ ﴿٢﴾ يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ ﴿٣﴾ كَلَّا ۖ لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ ﴿٤﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ ﴿٥﴾ نَارُ اللَّـهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ ﴿٦﴾ الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ ﴿٧﴾ إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ ﴿٨﴾ فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ ﴿٩[Qur'an Al-Humaza 104:1-9]
Woe unto every backbiter, slanderer, (1) who has gathered riches and counted them over (2) thinking his riches have made him immortal! (3) No indeed; he shall be thrust into the Crusher; (4) and what shall teach thee what is the Crusher; (5) The Fire of God kindled (6) roaring over the hearts (7) covered down upon them, (8) in columns outstretched. (9)
3. The Talebearing Tongue: Talebearing (carrying and telling tales) spreads all sorts of hurtful information around, and shaytan uses such information to try to hinder and tear down good works. A victim of talebearing is truly an oppressed person.
A believer should honor other people. Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
Do not envy one another; do not inflate prices by overbidding against one another; do not hate one another; do not harbor malice against one another; and do not enter into commercial transaction when others have entered into that (transaction); but be you, O slaves of Allah, as brothers. A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he neither oppresses him nor does he look down upon him, nor does he humiliate him. Piety is here,(and he pointed to his chest three times). It is enough evil for a Muslim to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother-in-faith: his blood, his property and his honor.[Muslim]
4. The Argumentative Tongue: Some people just find a reason to argue about anything and everything as if they have nothing else to do. What do you do when you detect such a people? Spare your words. Don't argue with them. Apply the Prophetic guidance--remain silent. And your silence is your sabr (patience). It is raising your rank with Allah. And Allah is with the patient.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good, or keep silent; and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbor; and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest.[Bukhari and Muslim]
5. The Flattering Tongue: Flattery is akin to exaggeration. It is a form of lying.
Be careful with our praises of someone. Although it is permissible to praise someone who is doing something good, don't do it too much. It is prohibited to praise a person unless you are sure that there won't be any harm either to you, the one praising, and the one praised. Too much praise can backfire when given in a way that is insincere, make the person praised afraid to try new things or take a risk for fear of not being able to stay on top where people's praises have put them, or the one praised may depend on what he heard of praise and ignore acquiring more good deeds.
Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah said that a man was once mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Another man said good words of praise about him. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, then said, what translated means,
Woe unto you! You have beheaded your friend. If one of you has to praise, let him say, ‘I think this and that’ (about the praised man), if he thinks that he deserves it, ‘And his reckoning is with Allah,’ and let him not ascribe purity (to anyone).[Bukhari and Muslim]
6. The Proud Tongue: Proud-tongued people are generally so full of themselves that they learn so little from anyone. They will talk much of their accomplishments, but little or none about their Lord. They are hard to teach or reason with because they think they know it all.
Don't fall into the mistake of shaytan by thinking that you know more than the person next to you lest it might set things on fire.
Proud tongues come from proud people. Wars, destruction, bribery, theft, hate and so many other kinds of corruption on this earth are consequences of people's pride and arrogance.
7. The Overused Tongue: People think they appear smart by much talking but it is very much the opposite. Much talk, more problems; less talk, less problems.
8. The Swift Tongue: Some people are guilty of speaking swiftly when they really need to wait before saying anything. How many times have you had to eat your own words because you spoke swiftly? Why do you suppose Allah gave us two ears but only one mouth?
9. The Cursing Tongue: People curse because their life is miserable. They are unhappy so they make it known with their dirty speech.
10. The Silent Tongue: Silence is golden, but not in the case when you are depriving others of the message of Islam by your silence. We believe that Islam is our ultimate good and we should want this good for others.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
None of you will truly believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.[Bukhari]
We have an obligation to spread the message of Islam. We have a collective duty of commanding the good and forbidding the evil.
وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ[Qur'an AleImran 3:104]
And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّـهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:69]
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
You don't need to have a high level of knowledge to convey the message of Islam.
`Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
Convey from me even an Ayah of the Quran; relate traditions from Banu Israel, and there is no restriction on that; but he who deliberately forges a lie against me let him have his abode in Hell.[Bukhari]
And you don't need to be a great da'i (caller to Islam) to do this. Start with your own dependents, family and close friends with simple and basic teachings. For starters, teach our children good character.
Abu Ad-Darda reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
There is nothing that weighs more heavily on the scales than good character.[Abu Dawood]
A believer acts with purpose. Whoever is careful with consequences remain safe. Act only upon due consideration. Think through and play out in your mind what you want to say. Hasty words can harm relationship. We must use our tongues with extreme caution, as wrongful use of speech will be held against us on the Day of Judgement and can land us in Hellfire.
Allah Almighty says,
مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ[Qur'an Qaf 50:18]
Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).
May Allah protect us from the many many sins of the tongues and give us tawfiq to use our tongues only for what pleases Him, for dhikr and for service of Islam, not for disobedience like backbiting and other vain talks. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Recommended Reads:
If You Are Caught Lying
Don't Backbite; Leave What Does Not Concern You
Silence: The Easiest Worship
Arguing
Convey Even An Ayah
Commanding Good and Forbidding Evil
Sincere Concern
Magnificent Character
Praising
No comments:
Post a Comment