Tongue- The smallest yet the most destructive weapon

                                       ﷽

1. Introduction:

From time immemorial, speech has played a crucial role in defining and shaping the destiny of the mankind. People with a strong hold on their oratory skills have always taken advantage in the history. Even today in the so called democratic countries, the political leaders use their poisonous tongues to polarize the population of the respective country. There are countless examples where the wrong use of the tongues by the political leaders, philosophers and big thinkers has shifted the country into the extreme difficult situations. One such example is of Nazi Germany where Hitler polarized the majority against the minority Jews.

Countless examples of racism happens daily where the strong group of people/community use abusive slurs against the weak sections of the society.

Although, History tells us that the tongue has been mostly used in a negative way by the people who are expert storytellers and professional to spellbound the large population of the people, there are a lot of events in the History where the same tongue was used to build the Harmony between different communities.

The Prophets and the friends of ALLAH (S.W.T.) were given the power to inspire, motivate and guide the people from the wrong path towards the right path.

The religion of Monotheism (the message of one GOD) was spread by every messenger regardless of the difficult and the extreme typical situations and one may imagine of what circumstances the Prophets would have gone through to bring people back to the path of righteousness.

The wrong and the right use of the tongue depends upon the individual and we have the history textbooks open that barks in a loud voice of the consequences built on the use of the tongue.

2. HADITH (NARRATIONS) RELATED TO THE USE OF TONGUE:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنِ الرُّكَيْنِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ، عَنْ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ، عَنْ عَمَّارٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ وَجْهَانِ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَانَ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لِسَانَانِ مِنْ نَارٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Narrated Ammar: 

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who is two-faced in this world will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Resurrection.

- Sunan Abu Dawud (4873)

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي السَّفَرِ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالْمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ عَنْ عَامِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى عَنْ دَاوُدَ عَنْ عَامِرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr: 

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up (abandons) all what Allah has forbidden."

- Sahih al-Bukhari (10)

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْقُرَشِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بُرْدَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الإِسْلاَمِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Musa: 

Some people asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands."

- Sahih al-Bukhari (11)

حَدَّثَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زَحْرٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا النَّجَاةُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ لِسَانَكَ وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ وَابْكِ عَلَى خَطِيئَتِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ ‏.‏

'Uqbah bin 'Amir narrated: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What is the means to salvation?' He said: 'That you control your tongue, suffice yourself your house, and cry over your sins.'"

- Jami` at-Tirmidhi (2406)

 

3. CONCLUSION:

From the above discussion, it is clear that the tongue serves just like the sword. It may break the heart of the people and it also may bring people closer. The messenger of ALLAH (S.W.T.) thus has warned Ummah (as evident from the above Sahih Hadith) to use the tongue wisely. The good use of tongue can take a Muslim to the paradise, while its use for sins wiill immediately throw the Muslims into hellfire. So, use it wisely!