Guarding The Tongue!

Lesson by Shaykh Imran bin Adam on

Riyad us-Saliheen of Imam al-Nawawi (May Allah Have Mercy Upon Him)
Chapter 254- The Chapter on the Prohibition of Backbiting and the Command to Safeguard the Tongue.

Allah Ta'ala says: '...and do not backbite one another. Does one of you like that he eats the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor it. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is the Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful.' [Al-Hujuraat- 12]

And Allah Ta'ala says: '...and do not follow a thing about which you have no knowledge. Surely, the ear, the eye and the heart- each one of them shall be interrogated about.' [Al-Israa'- 36]

And Allah Ta'ala says: 'Not a single word is uttered by one but there is a watcher near him, ready (to record).' [Qaaf- 18]

• It is of utmost importance that every person guards his tongue from all speech unless there is genuine good in it.
• When something is merely permissible [i.e. not of benefit, nor is it a sin], the sunnah is to avoid that speech, for many a time, permissible speech leads to unlawful and disliked utterings.

Hadith 1: Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (Allah is Pleased With Him) has reported that the Prophet (May Allah Bless Him and Grant Him Peace) said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the last day should either speak good or remain silent...' (Agreed upon [i.e. by al-Bukhari and Muslim])

The Messenger of Allah (May Allah Bless Him and Grant Him Peace) gives two orders here:
1)either one should speak good, or
2)remain silent.

This indicates that there are only two types of speech:
1)the good, and praiseworthy, and
2)the bad and blameworthy.

The former is encouraged through the first order, "...should...speak good..." and the latter is prohibited through the second order, "...remain silent."

One should think very carefully before his every utterance as it will either be recorded in his favour or against him:

"The intelligent one is the one who thinks, then speaks.
The fool is the one who speaks, then thinks."

Hadith 2: Sayyiduna Abu Musa (Allah is Pleased With Him) reports: 'I said: "O Messenger of Allah, who is the most excellent amongst the Muslims?" He said: "The one from whose tongue and hand Muslims are secure." (Agreed upon)

Note: This Hadith is another example of the eloquence of the Messenger of Allah (May Allah Bless Him and Grant Him Peace). He used the word "tongue" rather than "words", which apparently would be more appropriate. However, by saying "tongue" he includes even the one who takes out his tongue in a scornful and demeaning manner. (Edited from Fat'h al-Bari)

Someone once said:

'I have never regretted anything I have not said, whereas, very often have I regretted something I have said.'

Is that not very applicable to each of us?!

May Allah Ta'ala grant us the ability to safeguard our tongue, for it is a poisonous snake.