THE TONGUE

FRIEND OR FOE..
 “Not a word does he utter but there is a vigilant
guardian.” (Quran - 50;18)

The Prophet (saw) said:

• “A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah
without giving it much importance, and because of that
Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of
Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases
Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that
he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire.” (Bukhari)
• “When a man gets up in the morning, all the limbs
humble themselves before the tongue and say, "Fear
Allah for our sake, for we are dependent on you; if you
are straight we are straight, but if you are crooked we
are crooked.” (Tirmidhi)
 BEWARE!

When Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) was asked

what he feared most for him, he took hold of his
own tongue and said, "This.” (Tirmidhi )

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Will people not be

thrown face down into Hell only on account of
the harvest of their tongue?” (Tirmidhi)
 THE TONGUE
- AN ENEMY

A man slips more by his tongue

than by his foot.”(Baihaqi)
THE TREACHERIES
OF THE TONGUE..
 AIMLESS TALK
A waste of precious time..
The Prophet (s.a.w) used to forbid ‘Qil’ and ‘Qal’
(idle,useless talk or that you talk too much about others.)
(Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said, “It is enough falsehood for a

man to relate everything he hears.” (Abu Dawood)

When one of the companions died a man said, "Rejoice

over his Paradise." Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said, "Do
you say this when you do not know whether he perhaps
spoke about what did not concern him, or was niggardly
about something which would cause him no loss?”
(Tirmidhi)
 UNNECESSARY QUESTIONS
Excessive Curiosity..

“And pursue not that of which you have no

knowledge; for every act of hearing or of
seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be
enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).”
(Quran 17;36)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Part of a man's good

observance of Islam is that he leaves alone
what does not concern him.” (Tirmidhi)
 HARSH SPEECH
“It is part of the Mercy of Allah that you deal gently with
them. Were you severe or harsh-hearted they would
have broken away from about you.” (Quran - 3;159)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

“ Indeed Allah is gentle and He loves gentleness, and He
gives due to gentleness and He does not give due to
harshness, and He does not give upon anything else
besides it.” (Muslim)

“ He who is deprived of gentleness is deprived of

goodness.” (Muslim)
LEWD SPEECH & SINFUL TALK
“Come not near to shameful deeds whether
open or secret” (Quran - 6;155)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “There is no indecency in anything except for it makes
it defective.” (Tirmidhi)
• “Indecency is from the (useless) scum and the
(useless) scum leads to the Fire.” (Tirmidhi)
• “Allah does not like the one who is unseemly and lewd
in his language.”(Abu Dawud)
• “Obscenity and eloquence are two branches of
hypocrisy.” (Tirmidhi)
Contd….
Contd..

Lewd Speech & Sinful Talk

Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said , "All the sins of my
followers will be forgiven except those of the
Mujahirin (those who commit a sin openly or
disclose their sins to the people). An example
of such disclosure is that a person commits a
sin at night and though Allah screens it from
the public, then he comes in the morning, and
says, 'O so-and-so, I did such-and-such (evil)
deed yesterday,' though he spent his night
screened by his Lord (none knowing about his
sin) and in the morning he removes Allah's
screen from himself.“ (Bukhari)
 BACKBITING & SLANDER
Talking negatively about others..
• “Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and backbiter.”
(Quran - 104;1)
• “Nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would
any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You
would detest it” (Quran - 49;12)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “ A Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are
safe.” (Muslim)
• “When I was taken up to heaven I passed by people who had nails
of copper and were scratching their faces and their breasts. I said:
Who are these people, Gabriel? He replied: They are those who
were given to back biting and who aspersed people's honor. (Abu
Dawud)
The Difference between Backbiting
& Slander..
Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said: “Do you know what
is backbiting?” They (the Companions) said:
“Allah and His Apostle (s.a.w) know best.
Thereupon he (the Prophet) said: “Backbiting
implies your talking about your brother in a
manner which he does not like.” It was said to
him: “What is your opinion about this that if I
actually find (that failing) in my brother which I
made a mention of?” He (s.a.w) said: “If (that
failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert,
you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him
it is a slander. (Muslim)
 CARRYING TALES
to make mischief..
“ A slanderer going about with calumnies.”

(Quran 68;11)
The Prophet (s.a.w) said, “A person who is addicted to
telling tales will not enter Paradise.” (Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w) once passed by two graves and

said, "They (the deceased persons in those graves) are
being tortured not for a great thing to avoid." And then
added, "Yes, (they are being punished for a big sin), for
one of them used to go about with calumnies while the
other never saved himself from being soiled with his
urine.” (Bukhari)
 SARCASM & TAUNTING

“Nor be sarcastic to each other nor call each

other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is
a name connoting wickedness (to be used of
one) after he has believed: And those who do
not desist are (Indeed) doing wrong.” (Quran -
49;11).

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “A believer does not

taunt, curse, abuse or talk indecently.”
(Tirmidhi)
 RIDICULING OTHERS
• O you who believe! let not some men among you laugh at others:
it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some
women laugh at others: it may be that the (latter) are better than
the (former)” (Quran - 49;11)
• O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a
female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know
each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most
honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most
righteous of you. ( Quran - 16;13)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him
nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him.” “The piety is
here,” (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice.
“It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon
his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his
brother in faith; his blood, his wealth and his honor.” (Muslim)
• “I do not like that I imitate anyone even if I should get such and
such.” (Abu Dawud)
 QUARELLING
“We have explained in detail in this Qur'an for
the benefit of mankind every kind of similitude:
but man is in most things contentious.” (Quran
-18;54)
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• "The most hated person in the sight of Allah, is the
most quarrelsome person.” (Bukhari)
• “He who abandons disputing, having been speaking
the truth, will have one (castle) built for him in the
middle of Paradise.” (TirmidhI)
 CURSING
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “The believer is not given to cursing.” (Tirmidhi)
• “If somebody curses a believer, then his sin will be as if
he murdered him.” (Bukhari)
• “Men accustomed to cursing will not be intercessors or
witnesses on the Day of Resurrection.” (Muslim)
• “If anyone curses a thing undeservedly, the curse returns
upon him.”(Abu Dawud)
• “Don't curse yourselves, nor your children, nor your
belongings. There is the possibility that your curse may
synchronize with the time when Allah is about to confer
upon you what you demand and thus your prayer may be
readily answered.”(Muslim)
• “Do not invoke Allah's curse, Allah's anger, or Hell.”
(Abu Dawud)
 ABUSING
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “A believer does not taunt, curse, abuse or talk indecently.” (Tirmidhi).
• “Abusing a Muslim is an evil doing.” (Bukhari)

• “Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure

hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics
will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it
up: (1)Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. (2)Whenever he speaks,
he tells a lie. (3)Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves
treacherous. (4)Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent,
evil and insulting manner.”(Bukhari)

• “It is one of the greatest sins that a man should curse his parents." It
was asked (by the people), "O Allah's Apostle! How does a man curse
his parents?" The Prophet said, "The man abuses the father of another
man and the latter abuses the father of the former and abuses his
mother.“ (Bukhari)
 LYING
“Allah does not guide he who is a liar and disbeliever.”
(Quran - 39;3)
The Prophet (s.aw.) said
• "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to
Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a
truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-
doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man
may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.” (Bukhari)
• "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks he tells a lie;
whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he promises
he breaks his promise.” (Bukhari)
• "When a man lies, the angel moves a mile from him because of the bad
odour of what he has produced.“ (Tirmidhi)
• "He who abandons lying, having been false, will have a castle built for
him just within Paradise. (Tirmidhi)
• “Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh
thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!” (Abu Dawud)
• And whoever intentionally ascribes something to me falsely, he will
surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire. (Bukhari)
 BEWARE..
The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “I had seen (a dream) last night
that two men came to me, caught hold of my hands, and
took me to the Sacred Land (Jerusalem). There, I saw a
person sitting and another standing with an iron hook in
his hand pushing it inside the mouth of the former till it
reached the jawbone, and then tore off one side of his
cheek, and then did the same with the other side; in the
meantime the first side of his cheek became normal
again and then he repeated the same operation again.”
He (s.a.w) was told: “As for the one whose cheek you
saw being torn away, he was a liar and he used to tell
lies, and the people would report those lies on his
authority till they spread all over the world. So, he will be
punished like that till the Day of Resurrection.” (Bukhari)
 MAKING FALSE PROMISES

“ O you who believe! fulfill (all) obligations.”

(Quran - 5;1)
The Prophet said:
• "The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks he tells a
lie; whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he
promises he breaks his promise.” (Bukhari)
• "Don't dispute with your brother; don't make jokes with him; and
don't make him a promise which you break.” (Tirmidhi)
• "Every betrayer will have a flag which will be fixed on the Day of
Resurrection, and the flag's prominence will be made in order to
show the betrayal he committed.“ (Bukhari)

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) was asked, 'Can the believer be a

coward?' He said, 'Yes.' He was asked, 'Can the believer be a
miser?' He said, 'Yes.' He was asked, 'Can the believer be a liar?' He
said, 'No.' “ (Muwatta)
 REVEALING SECRETS
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “When a man tells something and then departs, it is a
trust.” (Abu Dawood)
• “If anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will
conceal his faults in this world and the next.” (Muslim)
• “He who sees something which should be kept hidden
and conceals it, will be like one who has brought to life
a girl buried alive.” (Tirmidhi)
• “The most wicked among the people in the eye of Allah
on the Day of Judgment is the man who goes to his
wife and she comes to him, and then he divulges her
secret.” (Muslim)
• “Every betrayer will have a flag which will be fixed on
the Day of Resurrection, and the flag's prominence will
be made in order to show the betrayal he committed.”
(Bukhari)
 BRAGGING & BOASTING
“For Allah loves not any vain-glorious boaster.”
(Quran - 57;23)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble, so
that no one oppresses another and boasts over another.”
(Abu Dawud)

• “These genealogies of yours are not a cause of reviling

anyone. You are all sons of Adam, just as one sa' is near
another when you have not filled it. No one has
superiority over another except in religion and piety. It is
enough reproach for a man to be foul, obscene and
niggardly.” (Tirmidhi)
 EXAGGERATION IN SPEECH

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “The people who exaggerate are ruined. “ He repeated
this thrice.” (Muslim)
• “Allah, the Exalted, hates the eloquent one among men
who moves his tongue round (among his teeth), as
cattle do.” (Abu Dawood)
• “Obscenity and eloquence are two branches of
hypocrisy.” (Tirmidhi)
• “Those of you who will be most hateful to me and
farthest from me will be those with evil characters, who
speak much, are loud-mouthed and talkative.” (Tirmidhi)
 EXCESSIVE PRAISE
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:"Do not exaggerate in praising me as the
Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a slave. So, call me
the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.” (Bukhari)

A man praised another man in front of the Prophet (s.a.w). The

Prophet (s.a.w) said to him, "Woe to you, you have cut off your
companion's neck, you have cut off your companion's neck,"
repeating it several times and then added, "Whoever amongst you
has to praise his brother should say, 'I think that he is so and so,
and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's
good conduct before Allah, but I think him so and so,' if he really
knows what he says about him.” (Bukhari)

Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) commanded to throw dust upon the faces of

those who shower too much praise. (Muslim)
 DOUBLE TONGUED
(Deliberately inconsistent)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “One of the most evil of people is the two-faced
person who shows one face to these people and
another face to those people.” (Muwatta)

• “He who is two-faced in this world will have two

tongues of fire on the Day of Resurrection.” (Abu
Dawood)
 SOME OTHER THINGS..
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “Do not laugh immoderately, for immoderate
laughter causes the heart to die.’ (Tirmidhi)

• “Singing produces hypocrisy in the heart.”

(Abu Dawud)

• When the subject of poetry was mentioned

to Allah's Messenger (s.a.w),he said, "It is
speech, and what is good in it is good and
what is bad is bad.“ (Tirmidhi)
 REMEMBER..
Some people asked Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) "Whose Islam is
the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied,
"One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and
hands.“ (Bukhari)
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• "A man speaks a good word, not realizing its worth, for which Allah
records for him His good pleasure till the day he meets Him. A man
also speaks an evil word not realizing its importance for which Allah
records for him His displeasure till the day he meets Him.” (Tirmidhi)
• “Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-
bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private
parts), I guarantee Paradise for him.” (Bukhari)
• The worst servants of Allah are those who go about slandering, who
separate friends, and seek to distress the upright.“ (Tirmidhi)
• “He who keeps silence will be safe.” (Tirmidhi)
 Allah's Apostle (s.a.w) said: "Do you know who is
poor?” They (the Companions of the Prophet) said: “A
poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham
with him nor wealth.” He (the Prophet) said: “The poor
of my Ummah would be he who would come on the Day
of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he
would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would
have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled
abuses upon others, brought calumny against others
and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed
the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues
would be credited to the account of one (who suffered
at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the
account, then his sins would be entered in (his account)
and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.” (Muslim)
 THE TONGUE
- A FRIEND

“The believer strives with his sword

and his tongue.” (Tirmidhi)
SILENCE IS
GOLDEN

except..
 DHIKR-REMEMBRANCE
Prayer, Quran, supplication, praising, glorifying,
magnifying Allah, seeking forgiveness
• “O you who believe! Remember Allah with much
remembrance.” (Quran - 33:41)
• “And the remembrance of Allah is greater.”(Quran
- 29;45)
• “For without doubt, in the remembrance of
Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”(Quran -13;28)
• “Then remember Me, I will remember you.” (Quran
- 2;152)
• “This (the Quran) is no less than a dhikr for all
the worlds.” ( Quran - 38;49)
Contd.. DHIKR
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• Allah has said: “I am with My servant when he remembers Me and
his lips move making mention of Me.” (Bukhari)
• “A man does nothing more calculated to rescue him from Allah’s
punishment than making mention of Allah.” (Tirmidhi)
• “The best property is a tongue which mentions Allah, a grateful
heart, and a believing wife who helps a man with his faith.“ (Tirmidhi)
• “No other act of man is a more effective means for his deliverance
from the chastisement of Allah than the remembrance of Allah.''
(Ahmad)
• “The devil is encircling the heart of the son of Adam, when he
mentions Allah, he withdraws; but when he is neglectful, he makes
evil suggestions.” (Bukhari)
• When a man said: “O Messenger of Allah the ordinances of Islam
are too many for me, so tell me something that I may cling to”, he
(saw) replied: “Your tongue will continue to be supple by making
mention of Allah.” (Tirmidhi )

• )
 Allah (s.w.t) says:
“If anyone withdraws himself
from remembrance of (Allah)
Most Gracious We appoint
for him an evil one to be an
intimate companion to him.”
(Quran – 43;36)
INVOKING BLESSINGS ON THE
PROPHET (s.a.w)
“Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet.
O you that believe! send blessings on him and salute him
with all respect. (Quran - 33;56)

The Prophet (s.a.w) said:

• “If anyone invokes blessings upon me once, Allah will
bestow blessings upon him ten times over." (Muslim)
• “He who invokes one blessings upon me, Allah will
shower ten blessings upon him and obliterate ten sins
(of his) and elevate him by ten ranks.” (Nasa‘i)
• “The people nearest to me on the Day of Judgment will
be the ones most conscientious in invoking blessings
upon me.“ (Tirmidhi)
 IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE
The Prophet (s.a.w) said
• “Pass on information from me, even if it only a verse of
the Quran.” (Bukhari)
• “Do not wish to be like anyone, except in two cases:
(1) A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends
it righteously. (2) A man whom Allah has given wisdom
(knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith) and he acts
according to it and teaches it to others.“ (Bukhari)
• “Verily (for the scholars) Allah and His angels, the
dwellers of the Heavens and of the Earth, even an ant in
its hole and fish (in the depth of water) invoke
blessings on one who teaches people goodness.”
(Tirmidhi)
 ENJOINING GOOD
& FORBIDDING WRONG DOING
“You are the best of peoples evolved for mankind
enjoining what is right forbidding what is wrong and
believing in Allah.” (Quran - 3;110)
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “He who amongst you sees something abominable
should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has
not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with
his tongue; and if he has not strength enough to do it,
(even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart and that
is the least of faith.” (Muslim)
• "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin
what is reputable and forbid what is disreputable, or
Allah will certainly soon send punishment from Himself
to you. Then you will make supplication and not receive
an answer.” (Tirmidhi)
 GIVING GREETINGS OF PEACE
“When a (courteous) greeting is offered you meet it with a
greeting still more courteous (at least) of equal
courtesy.” (Quran - 4;86)
A man asked the Prophet, "What Islamic traits are the
best?" The Prophet said, "Feed the people, and greet
those whom you know and those whom you do not
know.” (Bukhari)
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “If you worship the Compassionate One, provide food,
and greet all whom you meet, you will enter Paradise in
peace.” (Tirmidhi)
• “When you enter your home greet your people with the
salutation of peace. It will be a source of blessing for
you and for the members of your family.”(Tirmidhi)
SPEAKING IN A GOOD MANNER
“And speak to people good (words)” (Quran - 2;83)

The Prophet (s.a.w)

• “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should
talk what is good or keep quiet.” (Bukhari)

• “Whenever gentleness is added to something, it adorns

it and whenever it is withdrawn from something it
leaves it defective.” (Muslim)
• "Protect yourselves from the Fire, even if with one half
of a date and he who hasn't got even this, (should do
so) by (saying) a good, pleasant word.” (Bukhari)
 HELPING PEOPLE
“Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes
a partner therein: and whoever recommends and helps
an evil cause shares in its burden: and Allah has power
over all things.” (Quran - 94;85)
The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
• “If you make intercession, you will be rewarded.”
(Abu Dawud)
• “Shall I not inform you of something more excellent in
degree than fasting, prayer and almsgiving (sadaqah)?”
The people replied: “Yes, Prophet of Allah!” He said: “It
is putting things right between people, spoiling them is
the shaver (destructive).”(Abu Dawud)
• “No (Muslim) man who will help a Muslim in a place
where his honor may be aspersed and his respect
violated without Allah helping him in a place where he
wishes his help.” (Abu Dawud)
“Whoever believes in Allah
and the Last Day should talk
what is good or keep quiet.”
(Bukhari)