Read the whole article at:
http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=1334&
Excerpt:
Imam al-Awzaa’ee 1 once said, “No-one has ever been afflicted in his Deen with an affliction worse than a loose tongue.” 2
From the signs that Allaah loves a person is that He delivers him from sin and afflictions in his Deen, He protects him from whatever will harm his Hereafter and certainly, He protects him from engaging in that which does not concern him.
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “From the best of one’s Islam is his abandoning that which does not concern him.” 3
Sometimes we find ourselves engaged in discussions that bring little benefit to us, other times we see ourselves hurriedly forming opinions or establishing our argument when in reality there is little need. We are neither scholars that our opinion should be followed nor are we leaders to impose such attitude. Sadly, many are those who lose all control over their tongues and inevitably find themselves plunged into issues and matters that do not concern them, whereby they waste time and yet increase their hisaab (reckoning) for Yawm al-Hisaab.
Mu’adh ibn Jabal (radhiallaahu `anhu) asked the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), “Will we be held responsible for what we say?” Whereupon he (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “… And is there anything that topples people on to their faces into the Hellfire other than the harvests of their tongue?” 4
There is a well-kept concept in Islam called ‘hifdh al-lisaan’ – guarding the tongue. Books have been written on the subject by scholars throughout time and in fact, qawaa’id (principles) have been formed on it. To protect your tongue means to protect yourself. How many times have we regretted speaking too quickly about something, how often have we wished to take back even just one word?
