Page 10 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXX No. 30 Speak a good word or remain SILENT! We should avoid speaking ill of others. We should rather remain silent unless we are seeking justice for some wrong that has been perpetrated against us. Our tongues are like double-edges swords. They can work for us and against us, both in this world and the Hereafter. We will be held accountable for what we say. The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “The strong man is not the one who can overpower the people by his strength, but the one who controls himself while in anger.” He (S) also said: “If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent.” The Messenger of Allah (S) said, “If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so his anger will go away; if it does not go away, let him lie down.” The Prophet said: “Indeed a servant will speak a word pleasing to God that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it God raises him by many degrees. And indeed a servant will speak a word displeasing to God that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it, He will consign him to the Hellfire.” We must be vigilant not to speak falsehood. We must think about what we are saying and the possible consequences of our words before we go ahead and speak. This hadith encourages us to guard our tongues. A person who wants to speak should think upon what he is about to say before he utters it. If it then shows itself to have some benefit to it, he may speak it; otherwise he should refrain from doing so.” Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet (SAW), said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak a good word or remain silent.” The importance of this Hadith… This hadith discusses some of the ways a Muslim’s faith should affect the way he relates to others. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani writes: “This hadith speaks about three matters, and in doing so it brings together everything that good manners entail with respect to both word and deed.” Whoever believes in God and the Last Day… The first condition is to either speak a good word or remain silent. Speaking a good word or remaining silent This is an encouragement to speak what is good and beneficial; at the same time it is a warning, cautioning us to be careful in what we say, lest we say something that is harmful or false. It is part of a Muslim’s faith to speak the truth and to say things that bring about benefit to others. Allah SWT says : “O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak a word that is right. He will set right for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. ” (Quran 33:70-71) “No good is there in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right, or bring reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking Allah’s pleasure, then we shall grant him a great reward.” (Quran 4:114) When we have nothing beneficial to say, silence is golden. Once, Mu`âdh ibn Jabal asked the Prophet (SAW) to inform him of some good work that would admit him into Paradise and distance him from the Hellfire. The Prophet (SAW) mentioned to him the virtues of many good deeds, then said: “Shall I inform you of the foundation of all of that?” Muadh said: “Certainly.” The Prophet took hold of his tongue and said: “Restrain yourself from this.” Muadh then asked: “O Prophet of Allah! Are we held to task for the things that we say?” The Prophet replied: “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu`âdh! Does anything topple people headlong into the Hellfire save the harvests of their tongues?” A Little Humor A person goes to the doctor, about their spouse’s temper. The doctor asks, “ What is the problem?” The person says, ‘ Doctor, I don’t know what to do. Every day my spouse seems to get angry for no reason. It scares me.” The doctor says: I have a cure for that. When it seems that your spouse is getting angry, just take a glass of water and start swishing it in your mouth. Just swish and swish but don’t swallow it until your spouse leaves the room or calms down.” Two weeks later the person comes back to the doctor looking fresh and reborn. The person says: “Doctor that was a brilliant idea. Every time my spouse started losing it, I swished with water. I swished and swished, and my spouse calmed right down! How does a glass of water do that?” The doctor says: “The water itself does nothing, it’s keeping your mouth shut that does the trick.” The Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said: The Prophet (SAW) said: “The strong man is not the one who can overpower the people by his strength,but the one who controls himself while in anger.”
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