Speak good or remain silent
Isn’t it funny how easily people label each other under different cathegories, just from single aquintance? Often early judgment based on brief and unprecised observation, stones in mind and is difficult to be altered. Prejudices and stereotypes are wicket traps of human’s mind, that influence and form one’s convictions most. Just a thought, but it reminds me of one old japanese saying:
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Good advice, especially as it is difficult to hold own tongue or not letting oneself backbiting and gossiping.
Allah says:
“Not a word does one utter, except that there is an (angel) Watching, Ready to record it.”
[Surah Qaaf: 18]
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported words of Prophet (SAWS):
‘Whosoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, then let him speak good or remain silent.’
[Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree]
Abu Moosaa Al-Ash’aree (RA) said:
“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah Which of the Muslims is best?’ He (SAWS) said:
‘He whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe from.”’
[Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that he heard the Prophet (SAWS) said:
‘Indeed, the servant will speak a word, while being unaware of (its consequences), and due to it, he will be cast into the Hellfire, farther than the distance between the east and the west.’
[Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
It is important aways to consider whether words one is about to say, are good or not.
Sufyaan Ibn ‘Abdillaah (ra) reported that prophet said:
‘O Messenger of Allaah (SAWS) , tell me of a matter that I may cling tightly onto.’ He (SAWS) said: ‘Say: I believe in Allaah and then remain steadfast (upon that).’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah (SAWS) , what is the most serious thing that I should fear for myself?’ So he (SAWS) took a hold of his tongue and said: ‘This.”
[An authentic hadeeth reported by At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah and others]
‘Uqbah Ibn ‘Aamir (ra) reported:
‘I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) , how does one attain salvation?’ He said: ‘Restrain your tongue, remain in your home and weep over your sins.”
[An authentic hadeeth reported by Ibn Al-Mubaarak in Az-Zuhd and it has support in Ahmad]
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (ra) reported that the Prophet (SAWS) said:
“When the Son of Adam wakes from his sleep, all of his body parts seek refuge from his tongue, saying: ‘Fear Allaah with regard to us, for indeed we are part of you. So if you are correct, then we will be correct and if you are corrupted, then we shall be corrupted.”
[A hasan hadeeth reported by At-Tirmidhee and others]
“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” translated into japanese as “mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru”, is the simplest and most understandable etic rule…so why is it so difficult for some, holding on to it.
Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim
Speak good or remain silence
first part speak good
Having Husn adh-Dhann (Good thoughts)
Allah Most High has said,
إِنَّ بَعْض الظَّنّ إِثْم
Verily, some suspicions are sins…
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْعِبَادَةِ
From Rasulullah(saw) who said, “To have good thoughts (or suspicions) is from well-conducted worship.” [abu dawood]
And our Beloved, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, reminded us,
إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيثِ وَلَا تَحَسَّسُوا وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا تَنَافَسُوا وَلَا تَحَاسَدُوا وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا
“Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the gravest lie in talk and do not be inquisitive about one another and do not spy upon one another and do not feel envy with the other, and nurse no malice, and nurse no aversion and hostility against one another. And be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.” [sahih muslim]
second part or remain silence
In fact Make Silence Obligatory
Take recourse to self-imposed silence (mulāzimat al-şamt). Keeping
quiet will kindle the light of joy in your heart and immerse you in happy
tranquility, just as Abu Madyan points out.
Make silence obligatory
Unless you are questioned, then say:
‘No knowledge have I’
And conceal yourself with ignorance.
Sufis who take to the spiritual way consider that there are great benefits
to be gained by those who make silence obligatory upon themselves. Doing so
raises their foundations high and plants firmly their roots. Silence is of
two types. There is silence of the tongue (şamt bi’l-lisān) and
then there is silence of the heart (şamt bi’l-janān). Both of
there are necessary on the path. Whoever is silent in the heart yet speaks
with the tongue speaks with wisdom. Whoever is silent with the tongue and
silent in the heart perceives the manifestation (tajallī) of the inner
conscience (sirr) and is addressed by the Lord.
This is the ultimate goal of silence, as made comprehensible through the
discourse of the Shaykh [Abu Madyan]. So make silence obligatory upon
yourself, my dear seeker, unless you are questioned. If you are questioned,
return to your roots and reach your goal and answer simply, ‘No knowledge
have I.’ Conceal yourself with ignorance, so that you might be enlightened
by the rays of intimate knowledge that comes directly from the divine source
(‘ilm ladunī). Whenever you acknowledge your ignorance and return to
your roots [weakness and incapacity], the glimmers of intimate knowledge of
your true self dawn to your sight. And if you know your true self you know
your Lord, as it is recorded in a saying of the Prophet [hadīth]: “He
who knows himself knows his Lord” (man ‘arifa nafsahu ‘arifa rabba-hu).
All of this knowledge is the fruit of silence and observing its proper
bounds with respect. So keep silent, bear yourself respectfully and stand
humbly at the doorway so that you might be recognized as a beloved friend of
the master of the house. How beautifully this has been said by a poet:
I won’t leave the doorway
till they set right my deficiency
Lest they greet me while I’m bent
with my shameful incapacity
If you are satisfied with me
imagine my honor and my nobility!
Yet if you reject me, is there any hope
for my impertinent rigidity?
“Judge yourselves before you are judged, evaluate yourselves before you are
evaluated and be ready for the greatest investigation (the Day of
Judgement).”
Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
The hypocrite looks for faults; the believer looks for excuses.
Thank you for the great post and reminder and may allah increase you in ilm and grand you succes in this life and the hereafter and please dont forget me in your dua’s
Jazakallah khairan
Salams bro,
. Thanks!
Hope you are doing fine.
That was very interesting comment. “Keep ur words soft and sweet in case u have to eat them”- really good advice that should be framed in gold
Very Very true, what a teachings from our beloved prophet Muhammad Sallellahu Alaihuwa Sallam, SubhanaAllah
We as humans are all judgemental , it is all about wether we believe in our judgements of people . It is natrual to judge , but you have the choice to do what you want to do with that judgement .
Thank you Masood and Amal,
I do believe that it’s in human nature to criticize, gossip, judge- one can’t fight it completely. I did learn however one golden rule- always try to say something good about another person, and if you can’t find anything positive- remain silent.
Thank you for this….it speaks to all man, whomever and whatever his creed may be. I’ve always found much wisdom in the Muslim scripture. This only affirms further..