Mindful of Speech

We must always be aware of our speech, whether at home, outside, or at work. What we say and how we say it has consequences for us as believers, both in this world and in the next.

Allah (‘azza wa jal; The Possessor of Complete Glory and Majesty) reminds us in the Glorious Qur’an: ”Tell My believing servants to say only what is best. Satan certainly seeks to sow discord among them. Satan is indeed a sworn enemy to humankind.” [Surah al-Isra 17:53]

We are commanded in the preceding verse to always speak the best, kindest, and most beautiful words. Surprisingly, right after that, we are reminded that Shaytan seeks to cause division, whether through the destruction of friendships, marriages, or kinship. Shaytan enjoys dividing people and making them fight. One of the most common ways ties are broken is through our speech, which we must guard against Shaytan using against us.

Here are a few simple tips we can all benefit from:

1. Speak only what is good and what you know to be true: When we speak, we must ensure that our words have a purpose, are beneficial, and are relevant. Sometimes what we are about to say is a rumour or has not been fully verified, so it is critical that we ask ourselves whether something is true or not before speaking.

2. Be mindful of your tone and language: The words we choose to use and the tone in which we speak have an impact that can be positive or negative. We should make it a habit to pause, take a deep breath, and carefully choose our words before speaking or responding. We must also ensure that our tone is appropriate and that we do not allow our emotions to get the best of us.

3. Avoid harmful speech such as gossiping, backbiting or discussing unnecessary topics: We can easily become drawn into unnecessary conversations about other people's private lives or speculative discussions about others. It is critical to always be on guard, to recognise potentially harmful conversations early on, and to protect ourselves. These harmful conversations can even start with "I don't want to backbite, but..."

Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ, peace be upon him) said "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent." [Muslim]. We should do our utmost best to speak kindly and good of others.

Let us strive to be conscious of our words every day. May Allah guide us and grant us the ability to use our words to benefit others rather than harm them. May Allah guide us all and bring relief to all those in need around the world, particularly the victims of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Ameen.

[Imam Shafi (rahimuhullah; may Allah have mercy on him)]