Ummah Central


Thursday 7 June 2012

They said, 'You've been disputed but yet you keep silent?'

ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah:

'What is surprising is that a person finds it easy keeping away from things like consuming the haram, oppression, adultery, theft, drinking alcohol and looking at the impermissible, but yet he finds it difficult to guard his tongue! It's such that you'll see a man who is viewed to be knowledgeable and is an ascetic worshipper but he speaks with words that bring the Wrath of Allah, without giving them a second thought… how often do you see a man who steers clear of evil sins and oppression but you see his tongue sever the honour of everyone – dead or alive, and he doesn't even care about what he says!'

He (rahimahullah) also said, 'Speech remains as a slave to you, but the moment it leaves your mouth, you become its slave.'

Hadith: 'Whoever keeps silent is saved.' [al-Tirmidhi, sahih]

Proverb: 'The patient one and the silent one never face regret.'

Sufyan used to say, 'Long periods of silent are the keys to 'Ibadah (worship).'

And Imam al-Shafi'i recited:

قالوا سكت وقد خوصمت قلت لهم *** إن الجواب لباب الشر مفتاح
They said, 'You've been disputed but yet you keep silent?'
I said, 'Indeed a response will only be a key to the doors of evil.'

A man once commented, 'Oh! How cold it is today!' So al-Mu'afa ibn 'Imran turned to him and said, 'Have you found any benefit now? (i.e. what did that statement do for you?). Had you remained silent, it would have been much better for you.'

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