Speak Good or Remain Silent

Since 2016-01-15

One of the best virtues in Islam is to be highly aware of speaking outcome; In essence, a tongue might be a cause to go to Paradise or Hellfire. Discover this issue in this article and take it seriously.

Silence is wisdom, especially if there's no good words to say. Nowadays people tend to say anything for the sake of speaking, a few of them know that silence is one of the good deeds that will be heavy on the scale, as if you remain silent you will save your self from falling into a sin.

The Prophet of  Allah the Almighty (Prayer and peace of Allah the Almighty be upon him)  has taught us that believing in Allah the Almighty and the Hereafter was connected to saying good words or remaining silent. As good words always bring goodness in this life and the hereafter. Good words will allow you to see the goodness of others and hence you have no hatred instilled in your heart.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من كان يؤمنُ باللهِ واليومِ الآخرِ فليقُلْ خيرًا أو ليصمُتْ، ومن كان يؤمنُ باللهِ واليومِ الآخرِ فلا يُؤذِ جارَه، ومن كان يؤمنُ باللهِ واليومِ الآخرِ فليُكرِمْ ضيفَه

(البخاري ومسلم)


(Interpretation of what the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) has said): "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent."
[Al-Bukahri and Muslim].

If we put this concept into practice, words can not describe the peace and tranquillity that will flow through out our day and applying this virtue helps us to become more productive by making full use of our time which results from making remembrance, reading beneficial books or simply contemplating.  

It is also vital to know why silence is  preferred when there's no good words to say, as our tongue will trap us into backbiting, falling into speaking about others in bad intentions and say things that might cause regret later on.

Each day all the other body parts ask the tongue to fear Allah the Almighty in them.

عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله تعالى عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا أصبحَ ابنُ آدمَ فإنَّ الأعضاءَ كلَّها تُكفِّرُ اللِّسانَ فتقولُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ فينا فإنَّما نحنُ بِك فإن استقمتَ استقمنا وإن اعوججتَ اعوججنا

(الترمذي وحسنه الألباني)


Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri(may Allah the Almighty be pleased with him) reported: (Interpretation of what the Messenger of Allah the Almighty (prayer and peace of Allah the Almighty be upon him) has said, “When the son of Adam wakes up, all of his body parts defer to the tongue and say: fear Allah concerning us, we are only part of you; if you are upright, then we are upright; but if you are crooked, then we are crooked.” [Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Asceticism].


This Hadith shows the importance of becoming aware of the tongue, as if only goodness coming out of it then the other body parts will follow and if it's the opposite then they tend to follow as well.


There are many evidences from Hadith and Verses from the Holy Quraan that address this issue, the advice we should take from the mentioned ahadiths are that we should safeguard our tongues and be aware of what comes from it, as we would not want to enter hellfire due to the harvest of our tongue. Lets analyze ourselves and think on what went on through out the day .

Be cautious of your words if you have nothing to say remember "speak  good or remain silent".


May Allah the Almighty make us among those who hear the good advice and follow the best of it.

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