The Evils of the Tongue

All praises are for Allah, the Most High, and salutations are for His Messenger (peace be upon him) and his household, and all those who follow them with goodness until the Last Day.

Success is the aim of everyone. Invariably, every man and woman in his or her own way hopes to achieve success. For most of mankind however, success is viewed in terms of worldly achievements and thus, from their materialistic pursuits, people essentially aspire to attain peace, contentment, happiness, and ease in this life.

However, in the practical realms, most materialists have their dreams shattered, since the price for material pursuits include fatigue, down-fall, restlessness, heart ache, sorrow, insecurity, and all forms of negative results.

Despite these negative consequences nonetheless, most people continue to remain so caught up in the sway of materialism that they pay little or no importance to the purification of their souls. This is mainly due to the motto of the materialist’s world: “The end justifies the means.” In fact, when one looks at the religious people (attempting to purify their souls), they seem so confused themselves, that they leave the materialists contented with their material pursuits.

On the contrary, the true believer remains the only one who is certain of what he is about. This is due to the fact that his conviction and certainty spring from the Guidance of Allah, the Glorious. Therefore he starts from the soundest base, one in which he has no doubt. He therefore, turns to the All-Knowing, Allah, to tell him what is success, because he is aware that Allah created him, and He, the Almighty, would best know in what his success lies. Therefore, he listens carefully to what Allah says, believes in it, analyses it, implements it, and is absolutely sure that it would give him success, because Allah is above lying and deception, as He, the All-Knowing, is perfect. Listen to what Allah (SWT) tells us is success:

“And by the soul, and Him who perfected (it in proportion). Then He showed it what is wrong for it and what is correct. Indeed he is successful who purifies it (the soul). And indeed he fails who corrupts it.”

[Ash-Shams 91: 7 - 10]

In the above aayah [1], Allah (SWT) is telling us in no uncertain terms, that success lies only in purifying the soul. This is further emphasized in the following aayah, He, the Glorious said:

“He who purifies himself (his soul) will succeed.”

[Al - A’laa 87:14]

Now since our Lord, Who knows everything, is telling us this is what success is, it becomes incumbent upon us to understand this very clearly, and thereafter, strive our utmost so that we would not misdirect our efforts chasing after failure thinking it is success, as Allah (SWT) warns:

“Say, shall we not tell you (who are) the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in the life of this world while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds.”

[Al-Kahf 18:103- 104]

Thus, in the end, if we do not clearly understand what is success we will be very disappointed, because, in the Hereafter, we would then come to know that our efforts resulted in failure rather than in success. In the following aayah, Allah combines a description of success and the illusory nature of this world. He, the Most High, also informs us that we will be tested in ourselves, our wealth, and our Deen [2], and warns us that the best thing is to be patient and conscious of Himself. He, the Sublime said:

“Every soul shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed from the Hell fire and is admitted to Paradise. is indeed successful. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of deception (i.e. it is only a temporary enjoyment). You shall certainly be tried and tested in your wealth and personal selves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the scripture before you (the Jews and Christians) and from those who ascribe partners to Allah (non-believers), but if you patiently persevere and become mutaqeen (people who obey what Allah commands and avoid His prohibitions) these (patience and taqwah) verily will be the determining factor in all affairs, and that Is from the greatest of affairs.”

[Aali ‘Imraan 3:185 - 186]

Many salient points can be drawn from these two aayaat but what is most important to us is that, Allah, the Most High, describes success as being able to enter Jannah (Paradise), and to be saved from the Fire of Jahannam (Hell). This can only be achieved if one, while living in this world, possesses the qualities of patience and taqwah (i.e. complete consciousness in all affairs which propels one to obey Allah’s commands and avoid His prohibitions). This also implies that to be saved from Jahannam and to enter Jannah, one has to purify his soul.

One of the main factors that negate the success after which believers are seeking, even though they may clearly understand it, and seriously intend to pursue it, is the misuse of their tongue.

The Messenger (SAWS) asked us:

“Do you know who the bankrupt person is?” We said: “A bankrupt person among us is one without money and provision.” He (peace be upon him) said: “The bankrupt in my Ummah (nation of Muslims) is he who comes on the Day of Judgment with Salaah, Fasting and Zakaat, but he also comes having blasphemed this (person), slandered and vilified this (person), ate the wealth of this (one), spilling the blood of this (one), hitting this (one), so (on the Day of Judgment) his good deeds will be given to this one, and this (other one) will be given from his good, and if his good deeds are consumed before everyone have taken their rights from him, their evil deeds would be taken and put upon him (the bankrupt) and then he will be thrown into the fire (of Hell).” [Muslim]

He (SAWS) also said:

“The servant speaks words, the consequences of which he does not realize, and for which he is sent down into the depths of the Fire further than the distance between the east and the west.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

He (SAWS) also said:

“Whoever can guarantee what is between his jaws (his tongue) and what is between his thighs (his Private part), I will guarantee him Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari]

And he (SAWS) also said:

“Whoever believes in Allah and the last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.”[Bukhari and Muslim]

It is narrated on the authority of Mu‘aadh Ibn Jabal (May Allah pleased with him), that he asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):

“O messenger of Allah, tell me an act which will take me to Paradise and keep me away from the Hell-Fire.” He (peace be upon him) said: “You have asked me about a major matter, yet it is easy for whom Allah makes it easy. You should worship Allah, associating nothing in worship with Him, establish Salaah, pay Zakaat, and fast Ramadaan, and make pilgrimage to the Ka’bah (Hajj).” Then he (peace be upon him) said: “Shall I not show you the gates of goodness? Fasting (which) is a shield; charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and the praying of a man in the depths of the night.” Then he (peace be upon him) recited:

“Their sides forsake their beds to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah’s cause) out of what We have bestowed…”

[32:16]

Then he (peace be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of the head of the matter (Islam), its backbone and the peak of its hump?”[3] I said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He (peace be upon him) said: “The head of the matter is Islam (the two testimonies of Faith); its backbone is the prayer, and the peak of its hump is Jihaad.” Then He (peace be upon him) said: “Shall not tell you of what controls all that?” I said: “Yes. O Messenger of Allah.” So he took hold of his tongue and said “Restrain this.” I said “O Prophet of Allah. will what we say be held against us?” He (peace be upon him) said “May your mother be bereaved for you. O Mu‘aadh! Is there anything that topples people on their faces – or he said on their noses – into the Hell fire, other than the harvests of their tongues.” [at-Tirmidhi]

Looking at the ahaadeeth of the Messenger (peace be upon him) we find that one of the main causes to throw people in the Fire of Hell is the evil reaping of the tongue, because with this one part of the body (i.e. the tongue) a person can indulge in more sin than with any other part. With it they can destroy all their other good deeds. So if we can restrain the tongue, we will succeed, (Inshaa Allah). May Allah, the Almighty, help us to understand the importance of restraining our tongue, and thereafter assist us to implement it. Ameen.

Footnote:

[1] Aayah: Literally a proof or sign. Used to denote a verse of the Qur`aan. Pl. aayaat.
[2] Deen: A way of life. Commonly translated as religion.
[3] Here the Prophet (SAWS) is strikes a similtude between Islam and a camel, in order to describe the importance of certain aspects.