Human beings are superior to all creations of Allah (SWT). They can think, search, explore, teach, convey messages, and express all feelings. Man is such intelligent that he can show expressions in many ways. But the clearest and important one is by Tongue. Guarding the Tongue is a real task. It has a unique feature, that is of speaking skill.
This three inches organ with eight muscles is the most powerful weapon. Good words from it can change the nation’s fate and few bad ones can kill up to souls. The person who uses his tongue in disobedience to Allah would head towards his destruction. However, who uses it in thankfulness to Allah and protecting others from its harms would be successful in this world and hereafter. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
Whoever can guarantee what is between his two jaw bones and what is between his two legs ( tongue and private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6474
The above narrated Hadith shows the importance of guarding the tongue and protecting it from major sins. For protection, One needs to know minor and major sins of the tongue and there cure in light of Islamic teachings.
Sins of Tongue
Speaking about Allah without Knowledge
Say, “My Lord has only forbidden immoralities, what is open of them and what is concealed and sinning, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.”
Al Quran 7:33
It is clearly forbidden for us to relate something to Allah and His prophet (PBUH) something which is not the truth. Without complete knowledge speaking something about Allah is a great sin leading directly to shirk. Allah says in the Quran:
Surely, it is indeed Satan (devil) that makes you do evil and say things about Allah of which you have no proper knowledge.
Al-Quran 2:169
It includes:
- Lying about Allah, the Almighty.
- Attributing to Allah, that is not suitable for Him.
- innovation or modifying and altering Allah’s Deen by own will(Bidah).
- Negating His commands.
- Supporting His enemies and wrongdoers.
- Describing Him with what does not befit Him in His Essence, His Attributes, His Statements, or His Actions.
Shirk Committed by the Tongue
Shirk is the opposite of worshipping Allah alone. Therefore, it is assigning a partner or partners with Allah. Partner assign may be in form of power, toheed, praise, authority, or actions. Shirk is one of the most dangerous sins, as it is never forgiven if one dies with it. As Allah says in the Quran:
Indeed Allah does not forgive shirk (the sin of idolatry or polytheism) (that one associate any partners with Him), but He forgives other than that to whom He pleases.
Al Quran 4:48
At another place Quran narrates Hazrat Luqman’s advice to his son in these words:
when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, “O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, shirk [with him] is a great injustice.”
Al Quran 31:13
In addition to that, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) also declares Shirk as the greatest of all sins [Bukhari and Muslim]. Shirk is a serious issue Muslims too have little knowledge of it. Allah does not forgive this sin so, it definitely needs serious attention. Besides acts of physically associating partners to Allah, our tongue importantly take part in it. We must know clearly our limits to avoid destructions of shirk. Guarding the Tongue is better for all. Following are the ways tongue associates partner to Allah:
- Supplicating to other than Allah.
- Praising others in those words associated with Allah alone.
- Negating Allah’s blessings
- Visiting Fortune and future tellers
- Swearing by names of others, besides Allah.
- Denying or misusing a Name of Allah.
- Changing the description or apparent meaning of Allah’s names.
- Blaspheming Allah, the Quran, and Allah’s Messenger.
- Denying Qadr or fate.
- joining those who wrongly interpret the Quran or Islam.
Allah said: “And if you commit shirk all of your works would be in vain ( or destroyed) and you wilt definitely be among those who are the losers.
Al-Quran 39:65
Ghibah(backbiting)
Abu Huraira narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
Do you know what is backbiting? The Companions said: Allah and His Messenger know the best. Thereupon He (the Allah’s Messenger) said: Backbiting implies you talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like. It was said to him: What is your opinion about this that if I actually find in my brother which I made a mention of? He said: If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbitten him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.
Sahih Muslim 2589
Backbiting is the mother of all sins people do. Everybody in some way is involved in it. People commit it in their assemblies, meetings, wedding ceremonies, sad events, and other social activities. The tongue involves in backbiting by feeding on other’s honour, which is one of the major sins.
Ghibah is committed by saying and writing words, using body language i.e. by eyes, hand, or head, or it is committed by other similar ways explicitly or implicitly. We commit ghibah whenever we comment about somebody in his back about these things:
- body deficiencies.
- appearances.
- regarding someone’s religious condition.
- family issues.
- habits.
Buhtan(Slander) or False Accusations
if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.
Al Quran 49:6
Islam forbid believers to spread any information without proof. Moreover, if someone spread false statements about his Muslim brother and sisters, he commits the serious sin which can lead him to destruction in Dunya in also in the hereafter. Guarding the Tongue is acquire to stop such stupidities.
Slander and the making of false accusations are major sins in Islam. This involves spreading a lie or fabricating truth about your Muslim brother in his absence.
Mockery/ Sarcasm:
Playing around and making fun of others. Mockery or sarcasm is to highlight someone’s weaknesses and faults, in such a way to laugh at. Most people gossip to make the audience laugh. It not only includes the truth about others weakness but also involve lies. This could either be by the statement, or action. These and other related characteristics, like scoffing, irony, taunting, etc. are all prohibited in Islam. Guarding the Tongue may protect such sins. The Messenger (peace be upon him) condemn such practices and said:
Woe to the one who speaks and lies to make people laugh, woe to him, woe to him.
Ahmad, Abu Dawood
Nowadays it’s very common to laugh on others in parties, groups, social media chats and other get-togethers. It is evil enough for a Muslim to misuse his tongue, by indulging in such useless things. Allah Almighty frbid us in these words:
O you who have believed, let not a people mock others; perhaps they may be better than them, nor let women mock[other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers
Al Qurn 49:11
Lying
In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease, and for them is a painful torment because they [habitually] used to lie.
Al-Quran 2:10
The lie is Communicating with false information or to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive others. It is never justified on any condition if it is meant for personal satisfaction, to deceive or mislead others, to make oneself appear superior, or to please someone. Lying is one of the signs of hypocrites. Islam prohibits lying for any cause. Even lying to children and deceiving animals is also not acceptable. Allah’s Messenger(PBUH) said:
It is obligatory for you to tell the truth, for the truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise, and the man who continues to speak the truth and endeavours, to tell the truth, is eventually recorded as truthful with Allah, and beware of telling of a lie for telling of a lie leads to immorality and immorality leads to Hell-Fire, and the person who keeps telling lies and endeavours to tell a lie is recorded as a liar with Allah.
Sahih Muslim 2607 c
Lying of all types is haram in Islam except three conditions[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1939]:
- Something the man tells his wife to please her.
- Lying during the war.
- And to lie in order to bring peace between the people.
Ways to Guarding the Tongue to avoid Sins of Tongue
- Use the tongue to glorify Allah most of the time.
- Avoid bad company.
- Seek refuge of Allah from Satan.
- Think positive about others.
- keep silent and speak only when it’s necessary.
- Keep eye on hereafter’s benefits.
