Guarding the Tongue

Salam Alaykum,

incepem aici postarea unor pasaje din cartea imamului An-Nawawee numita "Guarding the Tongue". Inshaalah, sa beneficiem cu totii din aceste scrieri, amin!

Allaah the Most High says:
“Not a word does one utter, except that there is an (angel) Watching, Ready to
record it.” [Surah Qaaf: 18]
And He says:
“Verily, your Lord is Ever-Watchful." [Surah Al-Fajr: 14]

Know that every individual who falls under the category of being responsible for his
actions (mukallaf) must guard his tongue from all types of speech, except for that
speech which consists predominantly of some benefit. So in the situation that speaking
and refraining from speech are both found to contain the same amount of benefit within
them, then the Sunnah is to refrain from it, altogether. This is because the allowable
speech (equal in benefit and harm) paves the way towards that which is forbidden as well
as disliked. Rather, in most cases, this will be the result, and applying safety, at that
point, will not be able to soothe it in the least.
Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
said: "Whosoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, then let him speak good
or remain silent."

Imaam Ash-Shaafi'ee (rahimahullaah) said: "When one desires to talk, then it is upon him
to think before he speaks. If there is beneficial good in what he will say, then he should
speak. And if he has doubt about that, then he must not speak until he clears that doubt
(by making his speech good)."Abu Moosaa Al-Ash'aree (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allaah! Which of the Muslims is best?' He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) responded: 'He whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe from.'" 2
Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
said: "Indeed, the servant will speak words that are pleasing to Allaah, due to
which he will be given a condition in which Allaah will raise him many levels.
And indeed, the servant will speak words that are displeasing to Allaah, due to
which he will not be given a good condition, but (instead) be thrown into the
Hellfire."
Sufyaan Ibn 'Abdillaah (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported that he said: "O Messenger of Allaah,
tell me of a matter that I may hold fast onto.” He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Say: ‘I believe in Allaah’, and then remain steadfast (on that).” I said: 'O
Messenger of Allaah, what is the most serious thing that I should fear for myself?” So he
took a hold of his tongue and said: 'This.’”
Ibn 'Umar (radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa) reported that Allaah’s Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam) said: "Do not talk much without remembering Allaah, for indeed, too
much talk without the remembrance of Allaah hardens the heart. And indeed
the people who are farthest away from Allaah are the ones who have hardened
hearts."
'Uqbah Ibn 'Aamir (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allaah, how
does one attain salvation?' He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) responded: 'Restrain your
tongue, remain in your home and weep over your sins.'" Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudree (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam) said: “When the Son of Aadam 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 upright, then we will be upright and if
you are corrupt, then we shall be corrupt.”
Umm Habeebah (radyAllaahu ‘anhaa) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Every speech of the Son of Aadam is against him not for him,
except for commanding good and forbidding evil or the remembrance of Allaah,
may He be Exalted.”

Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! Tell me
of an act that will take me to Paradise and keep me away from the Hellfire.’ He said:
‘You have asked me about a major matter. But it is easy for he whom Allaah, may He be Exalted, makes it easy for. You must worship Allaah, associating nothing with him. You must perform the prayers and pay the Zakaat. You must fast in Ramadaan and perform the Hajj to the House (Ka’abah).’ Then he (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Shall I not show you the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield; charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire; and (so does) the praying of a man in the depths of the night.’ Then he (sallAllaahu ‘alayhiwa sallam) recited:
‘(Those) who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of what We have bestowed upon them. No soul knows what is kept hidden for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do.’ [Surah As-Sajdah: 16]
Then he (sallAllaahu‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the peak of the matter, its pillar and its uppermost part?’ I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allaah!’ He said: ‘The peak of the matter is Islaam. The pillar is prayer and its uppermost part is Jihaad. Shall I not tell you of what controls all that?’ I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allaah.’ So he took a hold of his tongue, and said: ‘Restrain this!’ I said:‘O Prophet of Allaah, will we be held accountable for what we say?’ He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu’aadh! Is there anything that causes people to be dragged on their faces – or he said – on their noses into Hellfire other than the harvests of their tongues?’”
Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
said: “From the goodness of an individual’s Islaam is that he abandons (talking about) those things which do not concern him.”