ALLAH 
SAYS: “Not a word does he utter without there being a Vigilant Guardian with him.” [1].
SAYS: “Not a word does he utter without there being a Vigilant Guardian with him.” [1].
Allah says: “Verily your Lord is on the watch.” [2].
says: “Verily your Lord is on the watch.” [2].
In the preceding chapters I have mentioned as many mustaḥabb adhkār and suchlike as Allah has made easy. I wanted to add to it those words and utterances that are makrūh and ḥarām, so that this book may include all the laws and rulings concerning speech, and explain its different types. Thus I will mention the purposes that every follower of the Dīn needs to know. Most of the things I will mention are well-known and so I will leave out the proof and sources for most of them. And Allah it is Who gives success.
has made easy. I wanted to add to it those words and utterances that are makrūh and ḥarām, so that this book may include all the laws and rulings concerning speech, and explain its different types. Thus I will mention the purposes that every follower of the Dīn needs to know. Most of the things I will mention are well-known and so I will leave out the proof and sources for most of them. And Allah it is Who gives success.GUARDING THE TONGUE AGAINST ALL SPEECH EXCEPT WHEN THERE IS SOME OBVIOUS BENEFIT
Know that every responsible person ought to guard his tongue against anything which there is no clear benefit in saying. So when speech and silence are of equal benefit it is Sunnah to remain silent, because permissible speech may lead to that which is ḥarām or makrūh. This is something that happens often, or even in most cases; and nothing is as good as safety.
We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim from Abū Hurayrah 
, who reported that the Messenger of Allah 
said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say what is good or keep quiet.”
, who reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say what is good or keep quiet.”I say that this hadith, the authenticity of which is agreed upon, states explicitly that it is not proper to speak unless the utterance is good: that is, clearly of benefit. If there is any doubt as to its benefit or usefulness, one should not speak. Imam ash-Shāfi‘ī, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “If a person wishes to speak, he should think it over before doing so. If some benefit is evident then he should speak; but if he is in doubt, he should not speak until [some benefit] becomes evident.” [3].
We relate in the same Ṣaḥīḥs that Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī said: “I asked: ‘Messen ger of Allah, which of the Muslims is the best?’ He replied: ‘He from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe.’” [4].
said: “I asked: ‘Messen ger of Allah, which of the Muslims is the best?’ He replied: ‘He from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe.’” [4].We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī that Sahl ibn Sa‘d related that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever will guarantee me what is between his jaws and between his legs, I will guarantee him Paradise.” [5].
related that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever will guarantee me what is between his jaws and between his legs, I will guarantee him Paradise.” [5].We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥs of al-Bukhārī and Muslim that Abū Hurayrah reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: “The slave [of Allah] may say something which he does not take care to be clear about and which causes him to slip into Hell-Fire, further than the distance between East and West.” [6].In the narration of al-Bukhārī there is: “. . .further than the distance between East”, without mention of the West. The meaning of yatabayyanu (‘take care to be clear about’) is thinking about whether it is good or not.
reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: “The slave [of Allah] may say something which he does not take care to be clear about and which causes him to slip into Hell-Fire, further than the distance between East and West.” [6].In the narration of al-Bukhārī there is: “. . .further than the distance between East”, without mention of the West. The meaning of yatabayyanu (‘take care to be clear about’) is thinking about whether it is good or not.We relate in the Ṣaḥīḥ of al-Bukhārī that Abū Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “The slave [of Allah] may say something that causes the pleasure of Allah without paying any heed to it, and Allah may raise him in degrees because of it. The slave [of Allah] may say something that incurs the displeasure of Allah without paying any heed to it, and he may fall into Hell because of it.” [7].I say that it is thus in the sources of al-Bukhārī: “Allah will raise in degrees because of it”; and this is ṣaḥīḥ, and means ‘his degrees’, or it is implied ‘. . .will raise him. . .’. Yulqī is with a qāf.
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “The slave [of Allah] may say something that causes the pleasure of Allah without paying any heed to it, and Allah may raise him in degrees because of it. The slave [of Allah] may say something that incurs the displeasure of Allah without paying any heed to it, and he may fall into Hell because of it.” [7].I say that it is thus in the sources of al-Bukhārī: “Allah will raise in degrees because of it”; and this is ṣaḥīḥ, and means ‘his degrees’, or it is implied ‘. . .will raise him. . .’. Yulqī is with a qāf.We relate in the Muwaṭṭa’ of Imam Mālik and the books of at-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah that Bilāl ibn al-Ḥārith al-Muzanī related that the Messenger of Allah said: “A man may utter a word that incurs the pleasure of Allah , not thinking that it will reach where it reaches, and Allah may destine for him, because of it, His pleasure until the day he meets Him. A man may say something which incurs the displeasure of Allah , not thinking that it will reach where it reaches, and Allah may destine for him His displeasure until the day he meets Him.” [8].At-Tirmidhī says this is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ hadith.
related that the Messenger of Allah said: “A man may utter a word that incurs the pleasure of Allah , not thinking that it will reach where it reaches, and Allah may destine for him, because of it, His pleasure until the day he meets Him. A man may say something which incurs the displeasure of Allah , not thinking that it will reach where it reaches, and Allah may destine for him His displeasure until the day he meets Him.” [8].At-Tirmidhī says this is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ hadith.We relate in the books of at-Tirmidhī, an-Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah that Sufyān ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: “I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, tell me of something that I can adhere to.’ He said: ‘Say: My Lord is Allah and then be steadfast.’ I said: ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you fear most for me?’ He took hold of his own tongue and said: ‘This.’” [9].According to at-Tirmidhī, this is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ hadith.
reported: “I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, tell me of something that I can adhere to.’ He said: ‘Say: My Lord is Allah and then be steadfast.’ I said: ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you fear most for me?’ He took hold of his own tongue and said: ‘This.’” [9].According to at-Tirmidhī, this is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ hadith.We relate in the book of at-Tirmidhī that Ibn ‘Umar 
related that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not speak much without the remembrance of Allah, for excessive talk without the remembrance of Allah is hardness of heart—and the furthest people from Allah are the hard-hearted.” [10].
related that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not speak much without the remembrance of Allah, for excessive talk without the remembrance of Allah is hardness of heart—and the furthest people from Allah are the hard-hearted.” [10].We relate in [the same source] that Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “He whom Allah keeps safe from the evil that is between his jaws and the evil that is between his legs will enter Paradise.” [11].According to at-Tirmidhī this is a ḥasan hadith.
narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “He whom Allah keeps safe from the evil that is between his jaws and the evil that is between his legs will enter Paradise.” [11].According to at-Tirmidhī this is a ḥasan hadith.We relate in [the book of at-Tirmidhī ] that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir reported: “I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, what is salvation?’ He said: ‘Restrain your tongue, confine yourself to your house, and weep over your sins.’” [12].At-Tirmidhī classifies this as a ḥasan hadith.
reported: “I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, what is salvation?’ He said: ‘Restrain your tongue, confine yourself to your house, and weep over your sins.’” [12].At-Tirmidhī classifies this as a ḥasan hadith.We relate in [the same source] that Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “When a man gets up in the morning all his limbs accuse the tongue of kufr and say: ‘Fear Allah concerning us, for we are [what we are] by means of you; if you are upright then we will be upright, and if you are crooked we will be crooked.’” [13].
narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “When a man gets up in the morning all his limbs accuse the tongue of kufr and say: ‘Fear Allah concerning us, for we are [what we are] by means of you; if you are upright then we will be upright, and if you are crooked we will be crooked.’” [13].We relate in the books of at-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah that Umm Ḥabībah 
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Every utterance of the son of Adam is against him and not for him except enjoining good, or forbidding evil, or the remembrance of Allah .” [14].
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Every utterance of the son of Adam is against him and not for him except enjoining good, or forbidding evil, or the remembrance of Allah .” [14].We relate in the book of at-Tirmidhī that Mu‘ādh said: “I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that will make me enter me Paradise and take me far away from Hell-Fire.’ He said: ‘You have asked about a matter that is momentous but is easy for those for whom Allah has made it easy. Worship Allah and do not assign partners to Him; establish ṣalāh; pay zakāh; fast the month of Ramaḍān; and perform the pilgrimage to the House.’ Then he said: ‘Should I not show you the doors of good? Fasting, is a shield; charity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire; and the ṣalāh of a man in the middle of the night.’ Then he recited ‘They withdraw their sides from their beds. . .’ until he reached ‘. . .they do.’ Then he said: ‘Should I not inform you of the apex of this matter, its pillar and its pinnacle?’ I replied: ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘The apex of the matter is Islam, its pillar is ṣalāh and its pinnacle is jihād.’ Then he said: ‘Shall I inform you of the foundation of all of this?’ I said: ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He took hold of his tongue and said: ‘Restrain this.’ I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, shall we be taken to task for what we say?’ He said: ‘May your mother grieve for you! Does anything cast people into Hell-Fire on their faces but the harvest of their tongues?’” [15].At-Tirmidhī holds that this is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ hadith.
said: “I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that will make me enter me Paradise and take me far away from Hell-Fire.’ He said: ‘You have asked about a matter that is momentous but is easy for those for whom Allah has made it easy. Worship Allah and do not assign partners to Him; establish ṣalāh; pay zakāh; fast the month of Ramaḍān; and perform the pilgrimage to the House.’ Then he said: ‘Should I not show you the doors of good? Fasting, is a shield; charity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire; and the ṣalāh of a man in the middle of the night.’ Then he recited ‘They withdraw their sides from their beds. . .’ until he reached ‘. . .they do.’ Then he said: ‘Should I not inform you of the apex of this matter, its pillar and its pinnacle?’ I replied: ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘The apex of the matter is Islam, its pillar is ṣalāh and its pinnacle is jihād.’ Then he said: ‘Shall I inform you of the foundation of all of this?’ I said: ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He took hold of his tongue and said: ‘Restrain this.’ I asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, shall we be taken to task for what we say?’ He said: ‘May your mother grieve for you! Does anything cast people into Hell-Fire on their faces but the harvest of their tongues?’” [15].At-Tirmidhī holds that this is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ hadith.
I say that dhirwah, ‘pinnacle’, is written with a kasrah on the dhāl or with a ḍam
mah, and means the highest part of something.
We relate in the book of at-Tirmidhī that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ related that the Messenger of Allah said: “He who keeps silent will be saved.” [16].The chain of narrators is weak and I have only mentioned it to make that clear because [this saying] is well-known. Authentic hadiths about what I have just mentioned are many, but those I have cited will suffice for those who are granted success. If Allah wills, a number of these will be mentioned in the chapter on backbiting. And it is Allah Who gives success.
related that the Messenger of Allah said: “He who keeps silent will be saved.” [16].The chain of narrators is weak and I have only mentioned it to make that clear because [this saying] is well-known. Authentic hadiths about what I have just mentioned are many, but those I have cited will suffice for those who are granted success. If Allah wills, a number of these will be mentioned in the chapter on backbiting. And it is Allah Who gives success.The traditions from the early Muslims and others on this subject are many. We need not include them after what has been already been mentioned, but we will draw attention to some of the main ones.
It has reached us that Quss ibn Sā‘idah and Aktham ibn Ṣayfī met, and one of them asked the other: “How many defects have you found in the son of Adam?” He replied: “They are innumerable. Those I have counted number eight thousand. But I have found a trait which, if he uses it, will hide all faults.” He said: “What is it?” He said: “Safeguarding the tongue.”
We have related that Abū ‘Alī al-Fuḍayl ibn ‘Iyāḍ said: “Whoever considers his speaking as one of his deeds will speak little about that which does not concern him.”
said: “Whoever considers his speaking as one of his deeds will speak little about that which does not concern him.”Imam ash-Shāfi‘ī, may Allah have mercy on him, told his companion ar-Rabī‘: “Rabī‘, do not talk about what does not concern you, for when you utter such a word it owns and controls you and you do not own it.”
We relate that ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd observed: “There is nothing that warrants being imprisoned more than the tongue.” Others say: “The tongue is like a wild beast: if you do not tie it up, it will attack you.”
observed: “There is nothing that warrants being imprisoned more than the tongue.” Others say: “The tongue is like a wild beast: if you do not tie it up, it will attack you.”We relate that Abū al-Qāsim al-Qushayrī, may Allah have mercy on him, says in his famous Risālah: “Silence is salvation, and it is the rule. Keeping quiet at the proper time is the attribute of men, just as speaking at the proper moment is the most noble of traits.” He said: “I heard Abū ‘Alī ad-Daqqāq say: ‘He who keeps quiet about the truth [when it needs to be spoken] is a mute shayṭān.’” He said, “As for the preference that the people who wage [spiritual] striving [against themselves] show for silence, that is because of the flaws that they know to lie in speech, and moreover the portion of self-indulgence that is in it and love of praise, the inclination to be distinguished from one’s peers by one’s rhetoric and eloquence, and other similar failings. That [love of silence] is characteristic of the masters of spiritual discipline, and it is one of their pillars in their combat [against the ego] and reform of their character.
say: ‘He who keeps quiet about the truth [when it needs to be spoken] is a mute shayṭān.’” He said, “As for the preference that the people who wage [spiritual] striving [against themselves] show for silence, that is because of the flaws that they know to lie in speech, and moreover the portion of self-indulgence that is in it and love of praise, the inclination to be distinguished from one’s peers by one’s rhetoric and eloquence, and other similar failings. That [love of silence] is characteristic of the masters of spiritual discipline, and it is one of their pillars in their combat [against the ego] and reform of their character.Among the verses such people have composed on this subject is the following [in al-Kāmil] [17].:
O Man, keep watch over your tongue.
Do not let it bite you, for it is a snake.
How many a dead man in the graveyard
was put to death by his own tongue!
Ar-Riyāshī, may Allah have mercy on him, said [in al-Wāfir] [18].:
By your life, in my wrongdoing there’s work indeed
for my soul beyond the wrongdoing of Banī Umayyah.
Their reckoning is my Lord’s affair, and to Him
the knowledge of that extends, not to me.
What they have done cannot harm me—
if only Allah puts right what I have done.
References
[1] Qur’ān 50:18.
[2] Qur’ān 89:14.
[3] Al-Bukhārī (6475), Muslim (47), and Abū Dāwūd (5154).
[4] Al-Bukhārī (11) and Muslim (42).
[5] Al-Bukhārī (6474) and at-Tirmidhī (2410).
[6] Al-Bukhārī (6477), Muslim (2988), al-Muwaṭṭa’ (2/985), and at-Tirmidhī (2315).
[7] Al-Bukhārī (6478).
[8] Al-Muwaṭṭa’ (2/985), at-Tirmidhī (2320), and Ibn Mājah (3970).
[9] At-Tirmidhī (2412) and Ibn Mājah (3972).
[10] At-Tirmidhī (2413), who states that this hadith is ḥasan gharīb.
[11] At-Tirmidhī (2410).
[12] At-Tirmidhī (2408), who states that this hadith is ṣaḥīḥ ḥasan.
[13] At-Tirmidhī (24109) and al-Futūḥāt (6/355). This hadith is ḥasan owing to its supporting narrations.
[14] Ibn Mājah (3974) and At-Tirmidhī (2414), who states that this hadith is ḥasan gharīb.
[15] At-Tirmidhī (2619).
[16] Al-Futūḥāt (6/369) and at-Tirmidhī (2503), who states that this hadith is gharīb. Ibn ‘Allān mentions supporting narrations for it which raise it from the level of ḍa‘īf (weak).
[17] Kāmil is a poetical metre.
[18] Wāfir is a poetical metre.