Tun da farkon sharrin zina shi ne gani, Allah ~ ya umarci Musulmi da kawar da ganin su; domin sharri yana farawa ne da kallo, sannan a biyo bayansa da jin sha'awa, sannan a matso kusa, sannan a ƙarshe a aikata abin zunubi. (1) Kallon abin da haramun ne ita ce babbar hanyar tada sha'awa, saboda haka duk wanda ya nisanci hakan, to lallai ya kiyaye tsarkin kansa. Annabi ﷺ ya ce: "Kada ku sake kallo na biyu, domin duk da cewa ba ku da laifi a kallo na farko, ba ku da hakki a na biyu." Annabi ﷺ ya kuma ce: "Kallo kibiya ce mai guba daga cikin kibiyoyin Iblis (Shaiɗan), saboda haka duk wanda ya kawar da idanunsa daga kallon kyawun mace, Allah zai ba shi wata ibada wadda zai ji daɗinta." Annabi ﷺ ya kuma ce: "Ku yi hankali! Ku guji zama a kan hanyoyi." Suka ce: "Ya Manzon Allah! Ba za mu iya kaucewa zama a kan hanyoyi ba, domin wuraren hira ne namu." Annabi ﷺ ya amsa: "To idan dole ne ku zauna, to ku bai wa hanya haƙƙinta." Suka tambaya: "Menene haƙƙin hanya, ya Manzon Allah?" Ya amsa: "Kawar da idanu daga kallo, kaucewa cutar da wasu, amsa gaisuwa, umartar abin kyau da hani daga abin mugunta." Kallo yana cikin dalilan manyan masifu da suke afkawa mutane. Lallai kallo yana haifar da sha'awa; sha'awa tana haifar da tunani; tunani yana haifar da kwaɗayi; kwaɗayi yana haifar da ƙarfin niyya wanda ke juyawa zuwa ƙudiri mai ƙarfi, kuma yana ƙarewa a matsayin aiki, muddin babu wani cikas. A wannan ma'ana aka ce: "Haƙuri wajen kawar da kallo ya fi sauƙi (a jure) fiye da haƙurin azabar sakamakon wannan kallo." (2) Sha'awoyi da karkata su ne farkon alheri da sharri, kuma daga gare su ne ake samun nufi da ƙudiri. Saboda haka, duk wanda ya iya kame sha'awarsa, to lallai ya iya kame kansa; kuma duk wanda ya mika wuya ga sha'awarsa, to za ta mamaye shi; amma duk wanda ya raina abubuwan da yake so, to zai shiryar da shi zuwa ga halaka kansa. Sha'awoyi suna ci gaba da kusantar zuciya har sai sun zama buri, kamar yadda Allah ~ ya fada: ( .. kamar sarari a hamada. Mai jin kishirwa yana zaton ruwa ne, har sai ya zo kusa da shi, sai ya ga bai zama komai ba; amma zai samu Allah a wurinsa, wanda zai biya shi hakkinsa. Allah Mai saurin lissafi ne ) 1 Mutanen da suka fi kasancewa abin ƙi, dangane da kudurinsu, su ne wadanda ke mayar da gaskiya buri na karya, suna kuma kiyaye wadannan a rayuwarsu ta kasala. Wadannan buri na karya suna cutar da mutum, domin suna haifar da jin gajiya da sanyin gwiwa, suna kuma haifar da sakaci, nadama da dana sani. Idan mai buri ya rasa hulda da gaskiya a cikin jikinsa, sai ya zana hotonta a zuciyarsa, ta haka sai ya gamsu da hotunan mafarki da tunaninsa ya zana, wadanda ba sa kawo masa wata gamsuwa ta gaskiya a rayuwa. Misalinsa kamar mutumin da yake jin yunwa da kishirwa, yana zana hotunan abinci da abin sha a zuciyarsa, ba tare da yana da abinci ko abin sha da zai kwantar da yunwarsa da kishirwarsa ba. Karbar irin wannan hali yana nuna karancin girman kai, kuma abin kunya ne; domin daraja da tsarkin rai suna cikin kin duk wata sha'awa ko mafarki na karya. Sha'awoyin mutum za a iya raba su kashi hudu: Sha'awoyin da mutum yake samun amfanin duniya da su, sha'awoyin da yake korar matsalolin duniya da su, sha'awoyin da yake samun amfani a Lahira da su, da sha'awoyin da yake korar cutarwa a Lahira da su. Mutum mai hankali ba zai yi jinkiri ba wajen fifita sha'awoyin da za su samar masa da amfani a Lahira, ta hanyar neman Yardar Ubangijinsa. Irin waɗannan sha'awoyi da tunani ana bambance su bisa ga fifikonsu: Na farko, tunani a kan Wahayi da fahimtar ma'anarsa. Allah ~ bai saukar da shi ba kawai domin a karanta shi. Karatunsa hanya ce kawai da ke taimaka wa mutum ya yi tunani a kan abin da yake ƙunshe. Wani malami na da can ya ce: "An saukar da Alƙur'ani domin a aiki da shi; don haka ka mayar da karatunsa aiki!" Na biyu, tunani a kan Alamomin Allah da amfani da su a matsayin hujja domin tabbatar da Sunayen Allah, Siffofinsa, Hikimarsa, Alherinsa da Karimcinsa, kamar yadda Allah ~ ya yi wa bayinsa kira su yi tunani a kan Alamominsa su fahimce su. Na uku, tunanin Ni'imar Allah, Gafararsa, Rahamarsa, Haƙurinsa, da yadda yake yi wa bayinsa ni'imominsa. Waɗannan nau'o'in tunani guda uku suna fitar da daga zuciya: sanin Allah, ƙaunarsa, da tsoronsa, waɗanda za a iya kafa su da tabbata ta hanyar ambaton Allah ~. Na huɗu, tunanin aibobin kai da na ayyukan mutum. Wannan tunani yana da amfani mai girma, domin yana karya ran da ke umurni da mugunta, yana kuma bar zuciyar mutum ta rayu cikin duniya mai natsuwa. Na biyar, tunanin wajibcin lokaci da aikinsa, da kuma karkatar da dukkan damuwa a kansa, don kada a ɓata ko da ɗan guntun sa. A gaskiya, dukkan amfani yana fitowa daga lokaci, kuma lokacin da aka ɓata ba ya dawowa. Wani malamin Shafi'i ya ce: "Na yi zama da mutanen Sufi, ban amfana daga gare su ba sai da kalmomi biyu: na farko, daga maganarsu: 'Lokaci takobi ne; idan ba ka yanke da shi ba, zai yanke ka.' Na biyu, 'Idan ba ka shagaltu da gaskiya ba, za ta shagaltar da kai da ƙarya.' Lokacin mutum shi ne tsawon rayuwarsa; hanya ce da ke kai shi ga rayuwa mai albarka marar iyaka (a Aljanna), ko kuma hanyar zuwa rayuwa mai azaba marar iyaka (a Wutar Jahannama). Yana wucewa da sauri fiye da yadda gizagizai ke tafiya." Duk lokacin da mutum ya kashe yana biyayya ga Allah, wannan ne rayuwarsa ta gaskiya; amma duk sauran lokaci ba za a dauke shi a matsayin rayuwarsa ba. Ko da ya riga ya rayu shi, rayuwarsa za a iya kwatanta ta da ta dabbobi. Ko mutumin da yake yin Sallah ba ya samun amfani daga Sallarsa sai abin da ya tuna daga cikinta; saboda haka rayuwar mutum ita ce kawai wadda ya kashe yana biyayya ga Allah ~, kuma duk sauran abu ba komai ba ne face kissar shaidan da buri na karya. Ya kamata ku sani cewa sha'awa a kanta ba ta cutar da kowa ba; abin da yake cutarwa shi ne mu'amala da ita ko mayar da martani gare ta. Sha'awa kamar mai wucewa ce; idan ka yi watsi da ita, za ta tafi; amma idan ka gayyace ta ciki, za ta yi maka sihiri da maganarta ta yaudara. Allah ~ ya sanya nau'i biyu na rai a cikin mutum: rai mai umarni da mugunta da rai mai natsuwa, kuma suna adawa da juna; abin da yake sauki ga daya nauyi ne ga dayan, kuma abin da ke gamsar da daya yana azabtar da dayan. Mala'ika yana gefen dama na zuciya, yayin da shaidan yake gefen hagunta. Akwai yaki da ba ya karewa, har rai ya kammala rayuwarsa a duniya. Dukkan karya tana gefen shaidan da rai mai umarni da mugunta; yayin da dukkan gaskiya take gefen mala'ika da hankali mai natsuwa. Yakin da ba ya karewa yana rubuce, kuma nasara ana samunta ta hakurin mutum. Duk wanda ya jure, ya nuna hakuri kuma ya ji tsoron Allah, zai sami kyakkyawan karshe a duniya da Lahira. Allah ~ ya hukunta cewa kyakkyawan karshe mai albarka yana ga masu takawa. (3) Ya kamata a kiyaye magana a yi amfani da ita kawai wajen abin da yake da amfani. Ya kamata mutum ya fadi kawai abin da yake amfanar addininsa. Ya kamata mutum ya yi tunani sau biyu kafin ya furta kalma, ko tana da amfani ga addininsa ko a'a; idan babu riba a cikin fadinta, ya kamata ya kauracewa furtawa; amma idan akwai wani amfani a cikinta, bai kamata ya bata damar fadinta ba. Idan mutum yana so ya bayar da shaida game da abin da ke cikin zukatan wasu, to ya kamata ya duba maganganunsu. Hakika harshe yana bayyana halin zuciya, ko mai ita yana so ko bai so ba! Yahya bin Mu'adh ya ce: "Zukata kamar tukwane ne masu tafasasshen abin da ke cikinsu, harsuna kuwa su ne ladlensu. Idan mutum ya yi magana, harshensa yana dibar abin da ke cikin zuciyarsa; mai daɗi ko mai tsami." Anas bin Malik ~ ya ruwaito cewa Annabi ﷺ ya ce: "Imanin mutum ba ya daidaita sai zuciyarsa ta daidaita; zuciyarsa kuma ba ta daidaita sai harshensa ya daidaita."1 Abdullahi bin Mas'ud ~ ya ruwaito cewa Annabi ﷺ ya ce: "Na rantse da wanda rai na yake a hannunSa, mutum ba musulmi ba ne sai zuciyarsa da harshensa sun miƙa wuya."2 An tambayi Annabi ﷺ game da abubuwan da suka fi yawan sa mutane shiga Wuta, sai ya amsa: "Baki da al'aura."3 Mu'adh ya tambayi Annabi ﷺ game da wani aiki da zai sa shi shiga Aljanna ya kuma nisanta shi daga Wuta. Sai Annabi ﷺ ya sanar da shi cewa tushen al'amari shi ne Musulunci, ginshiƙansa shi ne Sallah, kuma kololuwarsa shi ne jihadi a hanyar Allah. Sannan ya ce: "Ban fa gaya maka abin da ya fi komai muhimmanci a cikin wannan duka ba?" Mu'adh ya amsa: "Tabbas, Manzon Allah." Annabi ﷺ ya kama harshensa ya ce: "Ka riƙe wannan." Mu'adh ya ce: "Shin za a kama mu da laifin abin da muke faɗa?" Sai ya amsa: "Allah ya rasa ka da uwarka! Ashe mutane ba za a jefa su a Wuta fuska a kasa ba sai saboda girbin harsunansu?"1 Abin mamaki shi ne akwai lokutan da mutum yake ganin yana da sauƙin nisantar abubuwan haram kamar zalunci, zina, sata, shan giya ko kallon abin da ba halal ba, amma yana ganin yana da wahalar kame motsin harshensa; sai ka ga yana furta kalmomin da suke jawo la'anar Allah ~ a kansa! Irin wannan lamari an ambata shi a cikin Hadisin Jundub bin Abdullah ~ wanda ya ce: "Annabi ~ ya bayyana cewa wani mutum ya ce: "Allah ba zai gafarta wa fulani ba." Sai Allah ~ ya ce: "Wane ne wanda yake rantsuwa a kaina cewa ba zan yi wa fulani gafara ba? Na yi wa fulani gafara, kuma na shafe ayyukanka (ayyukan wanda ya rantse cewa Allah ba zai yi wa wannan mutumin gafara ba)."2 Don haka wannan mutum mai ibada wanda ya bauta wa Allah ~ tsawon rayuwarsa, sai ayyukansa suka shafe saboda kalma guda daya da ya furta! Haka kuma, yana ruwaito wannan Hadisin, Abu Hurairah ~ ya ce: "Mutumin ya furta kalma guda daya wacce ta lalata rayuwarsa a duniya da lahira!" Abu Hurairah ~ ya ce: "Annabi ~ ya ce: "Bawa (na Allah) na iya furta kalmar da take faranta wa Allah rai, ba tare da ya dauke ta da muhimmanci ba; saboda haka Allah ~ zai daukaka shi zuwa matakai (na lada); kuma bawa (na Allah) na iya furta kalmar (ba tare da kulawa ba) wacce take fusata Allah, ba tare da tunanin girmanta ba; saboda haka za a jefa shi cikin Wutar Jahannama."3 Bilal bin Al-Harith ~ ya ruwaito cewa Annabi ~ ya ce: "Mutum na furta kalma mai kyau, ba tare da ya san darajarta ba; saboda ita Allah yana rubuta masa Yardarsa har ranar da zai hadu da Shi. Mutum kuma yana furta kalma mara kyau, ba tare da ya san muhimmancinta ba, saboda ita Allah yana rubuta masa Fushinsa har ranar da zai hadu da Shi."4 'Alqamah yana cewa: "Hadisin Bilal bin Al-Harith ya hana ni furta kalmomi da yawa!" Anas bin Malik ~ ya ce: "Lokacin da wani daga cikin sahabbai ya rasu, wani mutum ya ce: 'Ku yi farin ciki da Aljannarsa.' Amma Annabi ~ ya ce: 'Kana cewa haka ne alhali ba ka sani ba ko watakila ya yi magana game da abin da ba ya damunsa, ko ya yi rowa da wani abu wanda ba zai cutar da shi ba?'"5 Abu Hurairah ~ ya ruwaito cewa Annabi ~ ya ce: "Duk wanda ya yi imani da Allah da Ranar Lahira, ya zama ya fadi alheri ko ya yi shiru." 6 Abu Hurayrah ~ ya kuma ruwaito cewa Manzon Allah ﷺ ya ce: "Daga cikin kyawun Musulunci na mutum shi ne barin abin da ba ya damunsa." 1 Sufyan bin Abdillah At-Thaqafi ~ ya ce: "Na ce: 'Manzon Allah, ka faɗa mini wani abu game da Musulunci wanda ba zan iya tambayar kowa ba sai kai'. Sai ya ce ﷺ: "Ka ce: 'Na yi imani da Allah', sannan ka tsaya a kan tafarki madaidaici." Na ce: 'Manzon Allah, menene abin da ka fi tsoro a kaina?' Sai ya ﷺ ya kama harshensa ya ce: "Wannan!" 2 Umm Habibah ,$,, matar Manzon Allah ﷺ, ta ruwaito cewa Manzon Allah ﷺ ya ce: "Duk abin da ɗan Adam ya faɗa yana lissafa masa ne, ba don amfaninsa ba, sai dai: ba da shawarar duk abin da yake alheri ba, hana duk abin da ba shi da kyau ba, ko ambaton Allah." 3 A wani Hadisi, Manzon Allah ﷺ ya ce idan mutum ya tashi da safe, dukkan gaɓoɓinsa suna ƙasƙantar da kansu a gaban harshe suna cewa: "Ka ji tsoron Allah saboda mu, gama mu masu dogaro ne a kanka; idan ka tsaya a kan gaskiya, mu ma muna tsaye, amma idan ka karkata, mu ma muna karkata." 4 Malamai sun sha banban kan ko duk abin da mutum ya furta ana rubuta shi, ko kuwa abin da ya shafi alheri da sharri kawai ake rubutawa, inda ra'ayin farko ne aka fi yarda da shi, saboda Allah ~ ya ce: (Ba ya furta wata magana face akwai mai tsaro a wurinsa, shirye don rubuta ta.)5 Akwai manyan cututtuka guda biyu da suka shafi harshe; idan mutum ya tsira daga ɗaya, bai tsira daga ɗayan ba; su ne cutar "magana" da cutar "shiru". Ɗayan na iya zama babban zunubi fiye da ɗayan; gama mutumin da yake yin shiru game da gaskiya "shaiɗan bebe" ne, mai saɓa wa Allah ~; yayin da mutumin da yake faɗar ƙarya "shaiɗan mai magana" ne, mai saɓa wa Allah ~. Mutanen kirki su ne waɗanda suke hana harshensu faɗar ƙarya, amma suke sakin shi wajen magana game da duk abin da zai amfane su a Lahira. Wata mutum zai zo ranar Alkiyama da ayyuka nagari masu girman duwatsu, amma harshensa ya lalata su; ko kuma mutum ya zo da munanan ayyuka masu girman duwatsu, amma zai ga cewa harshensa ya lalata su ta hanyar ambaton Allah akai-akai! (4) Ya kamata a kiyaye sawu a ma'anar cewa dole ne mutum ya yi amfani da ƙafafunsa wajen kai shi inda zai samu Ladan Allah, ba la'antarsa ba. Tun da zamewa tana da alaƙa da ƙafa da kuma harshe, an ambaci dukansu a cikin Aya, kamar yadda Allah ~ ya ce: (Bayin Mai Rahama (Allah) masu aminci su ne waɗanda suke tafiya a bisa ƙasa cikin tawali'u da natsuwa, kuma idan jahilai suka yi musu magana (da munanan kalmomi) sai su mayar da amsa da kalmomi masu laushi da tausayawa.) 6 Allah ~ ya siffanta bayinSa masu aminci da daidaito a cikin maganganunsu da sawunsu.

Since the starting point for the evil of adultery is the vision, Allah ~ has commanded Muslims to lower their gaze ; because evil starts with a glance, followed by a feeling of passion , then moving closer, and finally in committing the sinful act. (1) Looking at the unlawful is the main way to generate passion, and so whoever abstains from it, has indeed preserved his/her chastity. The Prophet~ said: "Do not take a second look, because while you are not to blame for the first, you have no right for the second."3 The Prophet :I; also said: "A look is one of the poisonous arrows of Iblis (Satan), so whoever lowers his eyes from looking at a woman's beauty, Allah would produce for him an act of worship whose sweetness he would experience ."4 The Prophet ~ also said: "Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads." They (the people) said: "O Messenger of Allah! We can't help sitting (on the roads) as these are our places where we chat." The Prophet ~ replied: "If you have to sit, then pay the road its right." They asked: "What is the right of the road, 0 Messenger of Allah?" He ~ answered: "Lowering your gaze, refraining from harming others, returning a greeting, and enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil. " 5 Staring lies behind some of the main calamities which afflict mankind. Indeed, looking produces desire; desire produces thoughts; thoughts produce passion; passion produces will power which turns into strong determination, and ends up as an action, as long as there is no impediment. In this context, it was said: "Patience in lowering one's gaze is easier (to deal with) than the patience with the pain of the aftermath of that gaze." (2) Desires and inclinations are the starting point of good and evil, and it is from them that will and determination are generated. Therefore, whoever controls his/her desires has indeed controlled him/herself; and whoever surrenders to his/her own desires, would be overwhelmed by them, but whoever thinks little of his/her inclinations, they would guide him to his/herself-destruction. Desires keep on approaching the heart until they become wishes, as Allah ~ has said: ( .. .like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him, Who will pay him his due. Allah is Swift in taking account) 1 The most despised people, in terms of their determination, are those who tum facts into false wishes, and observe these in their mean lives. These false wishes are damaging to man, as they generate a sense of lassitude and apathy, and produce a feeling of negligence, remorse and regret. When the wisher misses the interaction of the truth within his/her body, he/she depicts its picture in his/her heart, and so he/she becomes contented with illusionary images portrayed by his/her own thoughts, which never brings him/her any real satisfaction in life. His/her example is like that of a person who is both hungry and thirsty, picturing images of food and drink in his/her mind, without having any food or drink to ease his/her hunger and thirst. Accepting such a state of mind shows a low degree of the self esteem and is also a disgrace; because the dignity and purity of the self lies in rejecting any unreal desire or fantasy. Man's desires may be divided into four categories: Desires with which man attains worldly benefits, desires with which he drives away his worldly problems, desires with which he attains benefit in the Hereafter, and desires with which he drives away any harm in the Hereafter. A reasonable person would not hesitate to prefer desires which would gain him/her the benefits in the Hereafter, by seeking the Pleasure of his/her Lord. Such desires and thoughts are defined according to their priorities: First, reflecting on the Revelation and understanding its meaning. Allah ~ did not send it down just to recite it. Rather, its recitation is just a means to enable a person to ponder on its context. One past scholar said: "The Qur'an was revealed to be implemented on; so turn its recitation into practice!" Second, reflecting on Allah's Signs and using them as evidence to confirm Allah's Names, Attributes, Wisdom, Benevolence and Generosity, as Allah ~ has urged His Servants to reflect on His Signs and understand them. Third, thinking of Allah's Beneficence, Forgiveness, Mercy, Patience, and bestowing His Blessings upon His Servants. These three types of reflection extract from the heart: the knowledge, love, and fear of Allah, which may be firmly established by the remembrance of Allah ~- Fourth , thinking of the defects of the self and of one's actions. This thought has a great beneficial effect, as it breaks the self which commands evil, allowing one's heart to live in a serene world. Fifth, thinking of the duty of time and its function , and directing all worries around it, to avoid wasting any fraction of it. In fact , all benefits are generated from time, and any wasted time remains irreplaceable. A scholar Shafi'i said: "I have accompanied Sufi people and I have not benefited from them , except for two expressions: first, from their saying: "Time is a sword; if you do not cut it, it will cut you." Second, "If you do not occupy yourself with the truth , it will occupy you with falsehood. " A person's time is indeed his/her lifetime ; it is a way leading to his/her eternal blessed life (in Paradise), or the way to his/her eternal tormented life (in the Hell-Fire). It passes by faster than the clouds move. Whatever time a person spends in obedience to Allah is indeed his/her true life , but whatever else cannot regarded as his/her life; even if he/she has already lived it, his/her life could be compared to that of animals . Even a person performing Sa/at does not gain from his/her Sa/at except that which he/she remembers of it; therefore man's life is only that spent in obedience to Allah ~ . and everything else is but the devil's whisperings and false wishes. You should know that a desire in itself does not harm anyone; what is harmful is interacting or reacting to it. A desire is like a passer-by; if you ignore it, it will go away; but if you invite it in, it would bewitch you with its deceptive speech. Allah ~ has placed two kinds of selves in man: a self that is commanding and a self that is peaceful, and they oppose eachother; whatever is light for one is heavy for the other, and whatever satisfies one torments the other. An Angel is on the right side of the heart, while a devil is on the left side of it. There is an on-going battle, until the self completes its life in this world. All falsehood is on the side of the devil and the self commanding evil; while all the truth stays on the side of the Angel and the peaceful mind. The on-going battle is recorded, and victory is gained by one ' s patience. Whoever endures, shows patience and fears Allah would have a good ending in this world and the Hereafter. Allah ~ has decreed that there will be a blessed end is for the pious. (3) Speech should be preserved and used only for what is beneficial. One should say only that which is beneficial to one's Deen (religion). One should think twice before uttering a word, and whether it is useful for one's religion or not; if there is no gain in saying it, one should abstain from uttering it; but if there is any benefit in it, one should not waste the opportunity of saying it. If one wants to give evidence about what is inside the hearts ( of others) , one should consider their expressions. In fact, the tongue reveals the condition of the heart, whether its owner likes it or not! Yahya bin Mu'adh said: "Hearts are like cooking pots with their boiling contents, and tongues are their ladles. When a man speaks, his tongue scoops up what is inside his heart; sweet or sour." Anas bin Malik ~ reported that the Prophet ~ said: "A man's Iman (faith) is not straight until his heart is straight; and his heart is not straight until his tongue is straight." 1 Abdullah bin Mas'ud ~ reported that the Prophet ~ said: "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, a man is not a Muslim till his heart and tongue are submissive."2 The Prophet ~ was asked about the most common things which bring people into Hell, to which he ~ replied: "The mouth and the private parts."3 Mu'adh asked the Prophet~ about a deed which could cause him to be admitted into Paradise and would keep him away from the Fire. So the Prophet ~ informed him that the root of a matter is Islam, its contours Sa/at (Prayers) and its peak is striving in the Cause of Allah (Jihad). Then he ~ asked: "Shall I tell you of that which is at the bottom of all this?" Mu'adh replied: "Certainly, Messenger of Allah." The Prophet~ took hold of his tongue and said: "Keep this under control." Mu'adh said: "Shall we be called to account in respect of that which we say?" He ~ answered: "May your mother lose you! Will people not be thrown face down into Hell only on account of the harvest of their tongue?" 1 What is amazing is the fact that there are cases where a person may find it easy to abstain from consuming Haram such as: transgressing, fornicating, stealing, drinking wine or looking at the unlawful, yet finds it hard to control the movements of his/her tongue, and you see him uttering words that invite the Curse of Allah ~ upon him/her! Such case is mentioned in the Hadith of Jundub bin Abdullah ~ who said: "The Prophet ~ stated that a person said: "Allah would not forgive such and such person." Whereupon Allah ~ said: "Who is he who adjures about Me that I would not grant pardon to so and so; I have granted pardon to so and so and blotted out your deeds (the deeds of the one who took an oath that Allah would not grant pardon to that person)."2 So that devout man who had worshipped Allah ~ all his life had his deeds blotted out for a single phrase that he had uttered! Reporting the same Hadith, Abu Hurayrah ~ said: "The man uttered a single word which destroyed his life in this world and the Hereafter!" Abu Hurayrah ~ said: "The Prophet ~ said: "A Servant ( of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah, without giving it much importance; and because of that Allah ~ will raise him to degrees ( of reward); and a Servant ( of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah, without thinking of its gravity; and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire."3 Bilal bin Al-Harith ~ reported that the Prophet ~ said: " A man speaks a good word, not realising its worth; for which Allah records for him with His Good Pleasure till the day he meets Him. A man also speaks an evil word, not realising its importance, for which Allah records for him His Displeasure till the day he meets Him. "4 'Alqamah used to say: " The Hadith of Bilal bin AI-Harith prevented me from saying many words!" Anas bin Malik ~ said: "When one of the companions died a man said: 'Rejoice over his Paradise.' But the Prophet ~ said: 'Do you say this when you do not know whether he perhaps spoke about that which did not concern him, or was niggardly about something which would have caused him no loss?"' 5 Abu Hurayrah ~ reported that the Prophet ~ said: " Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or be silent. " 6 Abu Hurayrah ~ also reported that the Prophet :j said: "A part of the excellence of a man's Islam is his leaving alone that which does not concern him." 1 Sufyan bin Abdillah At-Thaqafi ~ said: "I said: 'Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam of which I would not be able to ask anyone other than you'. He :i said: "Say: 'I believe in Allah', then go straight." I said: 'Messenger of Allah, What is the thing you fear most for me?' He :j took hold of his own tongue and said: "This!"2 Umm Habibah ,$,, the wife of the Prophet :I, reported that the Prophet :I said: "Everything a son of Adam says counts against him and not in his favour, except: recommending what ever is good, prohibiting what ever is objectionable, or making mention of Allah."3 In another Hadith, the Prophet :j said that when a man gets up in the morning, all the limbs humble themselves before the tongue and say: "Fear Allah for our sake, for we are dependent on you; if you are straight we are straight, but if you are crooked we are crooked. "4 The scholars have differed about whether everything a person utters is recorded or simply that regarding good and evil, with the first opinion being mostly considered, because Allah ~ said: (Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready to record it.)5 There are two great ailments related to the tongue; if a man is safe from one, he is not safe from the other; they are the ailments of "speech" and "silence". One can be a greater sin than the other; for a man who keeps silent about the truth is a "dumb devil", disobedient to Allah ~; while the man who speaks falsehood is a "speaking devil", disobedient to Allah ~- Righteous people are those who restrain their tongues from uttering falsehood, but loosen them to speak about whatever is beneficial for them in their Hereafter. A person could come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds , the size of mountains, yet they were ruined by his/her tongue; or a person could come with bad deeds, the size of mountains, but he/she would find that his/her tongue destroyed them with constant remembrance of Allah! (4) Footsteps should be preserved in the sense that one has to use his feet to take one to where one should gain the Reward of Allah, not His Curse. Since a slip is related to the foot as well as to the tongue, they were both mentioned in the Verse, as Allah ~ said: ( The Faithful Servants of the Most Gracious (Allah) are those who walk on the earth with humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness. ) 6 Allah ~ described His Faithful Servants with straightness in their words and footsteps.