Hold That Tongue!

Out of the several ways people harm each other, the harms of the
tongue are the most widespread.Harming others by one's tongue is a
heinous act that can only be committed by evil peopleor those who have
given in to the evil whispers of Satan.
Some of the evils of the tongue that we have been warned against in
the Quran and Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) are as follows:
· Backbiting
It was defined by the Prophet, , as: "Mentioning your brother in his
absence with that which he hates." [Muslim]. It is one of the major
great sins, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {"O you who
believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And
spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat
the flesh of his dead brother You would hate it (so hate
backbiting)."} [Quran, 49: 12]. It is not only an action performedby
the tongue, but it could be an indication of the eye or any signal or
gesture which indicates mockery without the person noticing.
There are many reasons behind such an evil deed like satisfying one's
hatred towards others, envy, arrogance, heedlessness, and forgetting
that Allah The Almighty is an Ever Watcher over us.
The cure for the evil habit of backbiting is for the perpetrator to
know that he is subject to the wrath of Allaah The Almighty; his
rewards willvanish as a result of backbiting, because it goes to the
one he transgressed against. He should think about his own
shortcomings and faults, and busy himself in reforming them. He should
not do what he would hate others to do against him, and he should
spend his time fruitfully engaged in acts of obedience. He should
regret acts of backbiting that he may have done before and repent to
Allaah The Almighty sincerely.
· Talebearing
This is conveying what people say about one another with the intention
of causing corruption between people; it causes ties between kinship
to break and spreads people's secrets. Allaah The Almighty Says (what
means): {"A slanderer, going about with calumnies."} [Quran, 68:
11].The Prophet, , said: "No talebearer will ever enter into
Paradise".
· Spreading people's secrets
This harms others and it is a form of transgressingagainst people's
rights. The Prophet, , said: "If a man tells something, then starts
looking around (to make sure no one can hear him), his speech will be
a trust (in confidence)." [Abu Daawood].
· False testimony
This is one of the great major sins, as the Prophet, said: "Shall I
tell you about the most grievous kinds of major sins?" It was said,
"Yes, Messenger of Allah." He said: "Associating deities with Allah in
worship, unkind treatment to parents, (he sat erect after he had been
reclining) and false testimony." He kept repeating the last phrase
until the audience wished he would stop". [Al-Bukhaari, Muslim].
· Slandering
Those who do this are cursed in this life and theHereafter, Allaah The
Almighty Says (what means): {"Verily, those who accuse chaste women,
who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good
believers ـ are cursed in this life andin the Hereafter, and for them
will be a great torment"} [Quran, 24: 23]
· False oaths
Ibn Mas'ood narrated that the Prophet said: "He who swears falsely to
usurp some of his brother's wealth will meet Allaah while He is Angry
with him" then he recited (what means): {"Verily, those who purchase a
small gain at the cost of Allaah's Covenant and their oaths,they shall
have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise). Neither will Allaah
speaks to them norlook at them on the Day of Resurrection nor will He
purify them, and they shall have a painful torment."} [Quran, 3: 77]
[Al-Bukhaari, Muslim]
The Prophet , also said: "He who knowingly insists upon giving a
falseoath in order to usurp some of his brother's wealth, Allaah will
make Hell his abode and forbid him from entering Paradise." A man
said, 'Even if it was a little thing?' He, , replied: "Even if it was
as little as a Siwaak (wooden tooth brush)" [Muslim]. - - ▓███▓
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