Kwa kuwa chanzo cha uovu wa uzinzi ni kuona, Allah ~ ameamuru Waislamu wapunguze kutazama; kwani uovu huanza kwa kutazama, kisha hisia za tamaa, kisha kusogea karibu, na mwishowe kutenda kitendo cha dhambi. (1) Kutazama kitu kisichohalali ndiyo njia kuu ya kuzalisha tamaa, na hivyo yeyote anayejizuia nacho, kwa kweli amehifadhi usafi wake. Mtume ﷺ amesema: "Usitazame mara ya pili, kwa sababu ingawa wewe huna lawama kwa mara ya kwanza, huna haki kwa mara ya pili."3 Mtume ﷺ pia amesema: "Kutazama ni mojawapo ya mishale yenye sumu ya Iblis (Shetani), hivyo yeyote anayeshusha macho yake asitazame uzuri wa mwanamke, Allah atamjalia ibada ambayo ataonja utamu wake."4 Mtume ﷺ pia amesema: "Angalieni! Epukeni kukaa njiani." Wakasema: "Ee Mjumbe wa Allah! Hatuwezi kuacha kukaa (njiani) kwani hapa ndipo mahali petu pa kupiga stori." Mtume ﷺ akajibu: "Ikiwa lazima mkae, basi mpeni barabara haki yake." Wakauliza: "Haki ya barabara ni ipi, Ee Mjumbe wa Allah?" Akajibu: "Kupunguza kutazama, kujizuia kuwadhuru wengine, kujibu salamu, kuamrisha mema na kukataza maovu."5 Kutazama kuko nyuma ya baadhi ya majanga makuu yanayowapata wanadamu. Kwa hakika, kutazama huzalisha tamaa; tamaa huzalisha mawazo; mawazo huzalisha shauku; shauku huzalisha nguvu ya nia inayogeuka kuwa azma thabiti, na mwishowe kuwa kitendo, mradi tu hakuna kizuizi. Katika muktadha huu, imesemwa: "Subira katika kupunguza kutazama ni rahisi (kuivumilia) kuliko subira na maumivu ya matokeo ya kutazama huko." (2) Matamanio na mielekeo ndiyo chanzo cha mema na maovu, na ni kutoka kwake ndipo hutokea nia na azma. Kwa hiyo, atakayedhibiti matamanio yake amejidhibiti kweli; na atakayejisalimisha kwa matamanio yake, atazidiwa nayo; lakini atakayeyadharau matakwa yake, yatamwongoza kwenye uharibifu wa nafsi yake. Matamanio huendelea kukaribia moyo hadi yakageuka kuwa matakwa, kama alivyosema Allah ~: (.. kama mwangaza wa mbali jangwani. Mwenye kiu huudhania kuwa ni maji mpaka akiufikia, hukuta si kitu; lakini humkuta Allah pale, Ambaye atamlipa haki yake. Allah ni Mwepesi wa kuhesabu) 1 Watu wanaodharauliwa zaidi, kwa kuzingatia azma yao, ni wale wanaogeuza mambo halisi kuwa matakwa ya uongo, na kuyashikilia katika maisha yao duni. Matakwa haya ya uongo ni hatari kwa mwanadamu, kwani huzaa hali ya uvivu na kutojali, na huleta hisia za kupuuza, majuto na kujuta. Mtamanio anapokosa mwingiliano wa ukweli ndani ya mwili wake, huchora picha yake moyoni mwake, na hivyo huridhika na picha za kufikirika zinazoletwa na mawazo yake mwenyewe, ambazo kamwe hazimletei kuridhika halisi maishani. Mfano wake ni kama wa mtu aliye na njaa na kiu, anayejiwazia picha za chakula na kinywaji akilini, bila kuwa na chakula wala kinywaji cha kumtuliza njaa na kiu yake. Kukubali hali ya namna hii huonyesha kiwango cha chini cha kujiheshimu na pia ni aibu; kwa sababu heshima na usafi wa nafsi unategemea kukataa matamanio yoyote yasiyo ya kweli au ndoto. Matamanio ya mwanadamu yanaweza kugawanywa katika makundi manne: Matamanio ambayo kwayo mwanadamu hupata manufaa ya kidunia, matamanio ambayo kwayo huondoa matatizo yake ya kidunia, matamanio ambayo kwayo hupata manufaa Akhera, na matamanio ambayo kwayo huondoa madhara yoyote Akhera. Mtu mwenye akili hatasita kupendelea matamanio yatakayomletea manufaa Akhera, kwa kutafuta Radhi za Mola wake. Mawazo na matamanio kama haya yamepangwa kulingana na vipaumbele vyake: Kwanza, kutafakari Wahyi na kuelewa maana yake. Allah ~ hakuuteremsha ili usomwe tu. Badala yake, kusomwa kwake ni njia tu ya kumwezesha mtu kutafakari maudhui yake. Mwanazuoni mmoja wa zamani alisema: "Qur'ani iliteremshwa ili itekelezwe; basi geuza usomaji wake kuwa vitendo!" Pili, kutafakari Ishara za Allah na kuzitumia kama ushahidi wa kuthibitisha Majina ya Allah, Sifa Zake, Hekima Yake, Wema Wake na Ukarimu Wake, kwa kuwa Allah ~ amewahimiza Waja Wake kutafakari Ishara Zake na kuzielewa. Tatu, kufikiria Wema wa Allah, Msamaha Wake, Rehema Yake, Subira Yake, na jinsi anavyowamiminia Waja Wake Baraka Zake. Aina hizi tatu za tafakuri huchota moyoni: elimu, mapenzi na khofu ya Allah, ambavyo vinaweza kuimarishwa kwa kumkumbuka Allah ~. Nne, kufikiria kasoro za nafsi na za matendo ya mtu. Fikra hii ina athari kubwa yenye manufaa, kwani huivunja nafsi inayoamrisha uovu, na kumruhusu moyo wa mtu kuishi katika ulimwengu wenye utulivu. Tano, kufikiria wajibu wa wakati na kazi yake, na kuelekeza wasiwasi wote kuuzunguka, ili kuepuka kupoteza hata sehemu moja yake. Kwa hakika, manufaa yote hutokana na wakati, na wakati uliopotezwa hauwezi kurudishwa. Mwanazuoni Shafi'i alisema: "Nimeshirikiana na watu wa Sufi na sikupata faida kutoka kwao isipokuwa maneno mawili: kwanza, kauli yao: 'Wakati ni upanga; usipoukata, utakukata.' Pili, 'Usipojishughulisha na haki, itakujaza batili.' Muda wa mtu ni kwa hakika maisha yake yote; ni njia inayomwongoza kwenye maisha yake ya milele yaliyobarikiwa (Peponi), au njia ya maisha yake ya milele ya adhabu (Motoni). Hupita kwa kasi kuliko mawingu yanavyosogea." Maisha halisi ya mtu ni kiasi chochote anachotumia katika kumtii Allah ~, na kila kitu kingine hakiwezi kuhesabiwa kuwa maisha yake; hata kama ameshaishi muda huo, maisha yake yanaweza kulinganishwa na yale ya wanyama. Hata mtu anayeswali Sala haipati kutoka kwenye Sala yake isipokuwa kile anachokikumbuka kati yake; kwa hiyo maisha ya binadamu ni yale tu yaliyotumika katika kumtii Allah ~, na kila kitu kingine si chochote ila minong'ono ya shetani na matamanio ya uongo. Mnapaswa kujua kwamba tamaa yenyewe haimdhuru mtu; kinachodhuru ni kushirikiana nayo au kuitikia. Tamaa ni kama mpita njia; ukiipuuza, itaondoka; lakini ukiikaribisha ndani, itakuroga kwa maneno yake ya udanganyifu. Allah ~ amemweka mtu nafsi mbili: nafsi inayoamuru na nafsi tulivu, na hizi zinapingana; kile kinachopendeza kwa moja ni kizito kwa nyingine, na kile kinachomridhisha mmoja kinamtesa mwingine. Malaika yuko upande wa kulia wa moyo, na shetani yuko upande wa kushoto wake. Kuna vita endelevu, hadi nafsi ikamilishe maisha yake duniani. Uongo wote uko upande wa shetani na nafsi inayoamuru maovu; ukweli wote unabaki upande wa Malaika na akili tulivu. Vita hii endelevu imeandikwa, na ushindi unapatikana kwa subira ya mtu. Yeyote anayevumilia, akasubiri kwa subira na kumcha Allah atakuwa na mwisho mwema duniani na Akhera. Allah ~ ameamua kwamba mwisho uliobarikiwa ni kwa wacha Mungu. (3) Maneno yanapaswa kuhifadhiwa na kutumiwa kwa yale tu yenye manufaa. Mtu anapaswa kusema yale tu yanayofaa kwa Dini yake. Kabla ya kutamka neno, mtu anapaswa kufikiri mara mbili, kuhusu kama ni la manufaa kwa Dini yake au la; ikiwa hakuna faida katika kulisema, ajizuie kulitamka; lakini ikiwa lina faida yoyote, asipoteze nafasi ya kulisema. Ikiwa mtu anataka kutoa ushahidi kuhusu yaliyomo ndani ya nyoyo (za wengine), basi ni lazima azingatie maneno yao. Kwa kweli, ulimi hufichua hali ya moyo, iwe mwenyewe anapenda au hapendi! Yahya bin Mu'adh alisema: "Nyoyo ni kama vyungu vya kupikia vyenye vilivyomo vikichemka, na ndimi ni vijiko vyake. Mtu anapozungumza, ulimi wake huchota kilichomo moyoni mwake; kitamu au chungu." Anas bin Malik ~ alisimulia kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema: "Imani ya mtu haiwi sawa mpaka moyo wake uwe sawa; na moyo wake hauwi sawa mpaka ulimi wake uwe sawa." Abdullah bin Mas'ud ~ alisimulia kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema: "Naapa kwa Yule ambaye roho yangu iko mikononi mwake, mtu si Muislamu mpaka moyo wake na ulimi wake viwe vimenyenyekea." Mtume ﷺ aliulizwa kuhusu mambo yanayowaingiza watu wengi Motoni, naye ﷺ akajibu: "Mdomo na sehemu za siri." Mu'adh alimuuliza Mtume ﷺ kuhusu tendo ambalo lingemwingiza Peponi na kumweka mbali na Moto. Mtume ﷺ akamjulisha kwamba msingi wa jambo ni Uislamu, nguzo zake ni Sala, na kilele chake ni kupigania Dini ya Allah (Jihadi). Kisha akauliza: "Je, nikujulishe kilicho chini ya haya yote?" Mu'adh akajibu: "Hakika, ee Mjumbe wa Allah." Mtume ﷺ akashika ulimi wake na kusema: "Uzuie hili." Mu'adh akasema: "Je, tutawajibishwa kwa yale tunayosema?" Akajibu: "Mama yako akupoteze! Je, watu hawatatupwa kifudifudi Motoni ila kwa sababu ya mavuno ya ndimi zao?" Jambo la ajabu ni kwamba kuna hali ambapo mtu anaweza kupata urahisi wa kujizuia na mambo ya Haramu kama vile kudhulumu, zinaa, wizi, kunywa pombe au kutazama yasiyo halali, lakini anaona ni vigumu kuudhibiti ulimi wake, na unamwona akitamka maneno yanayoleta Laana ya Allah ~ juu yake! Hadithi ya Jundub bin Abdullah ~ inaeleza hali kama hii. Alisema: "Nabii ﷺ alisema kwamba mtu mmoja alisema: 'Allah hatamsamehe mtu fulani.' Ndipo Allah ~ akasema: 'Ni nani huyu anayeapa juu Yangu kwamba sitamsamehe fulani? Nimemsamehe fulani na nimefuta amali zako (amali za yule aliyeapa kwamba Allah hatamsamehe mtu huyo).'" Kwa hiyo mtu huyo mcha Mungu aliyemwabudu Allah ~ maisha yake yote, amali zake zilifutwa kwa neno moja tu alilolitamka! Akisimulia Hadithi hiyo hiyo, Abu Hurayrah ~ alisema: "Mtu yule alitamka neno moja lililoharibu maisha yake duniani na Akhera!" Abu Hurayrah ~ alisema: "Nabii ﷺ alisema: 'Mja (wa Allah) anaweza kutamka neno linalompendeza Allah bila kulipa umuhimu mkubwa; kwa sababu hiyo Allah ~ atamwinua kwa daraja (za thawabu); na mja (wa Allah) anaweza kutamka neno (bila kujali) linalomchukiza Allah bila kufikiria uzito wake; na kwa sababu hiyo atatupwa Motoni.'" Bilal bin Al-Harith ~ alisimulia kwamba Nabii ﷺ alisema: "Mtu husema neno jema bila kutambua thamani yake; ambalo Allah humwandikia kwa Radhi Yake mpaka siku atakapokutana Naye. Mtu pia husema neno baya bila kutambua umuhimu wake, ambalo Allah humwandikia Ghadhabu Yake mpaka siku atakapokutana Naye." 'Alqamah alikuwa akisema: "Hadithi ya Bilal bin Al-Harith ilinizuia kusema maneno mengi!" Anas bin Malik ~ alisema: "Mmoja wa Maswahaba alipofariki, mtu mmoja alisema: 'Furahini kwa Pepo yake.' Lakini Nabii ﷺ akasema: 'Je, mnasema hivi hali ya kuwa hamjui kama labda alisema yasiyomhusu, au alikuwa bahili kwa kitu ambacho kisingemletea hasara?'" Abu Hurayrah ~ alisimulia kwamba Nabii ﷺ alisema: "Anayemwamini Allah na Siku ya Mwisho na aseme neno jema au anyamaze." 6 Abu Hurayrah ~ pia amesimulia kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema: "Sehemu ya uzuri wa Uislamu wa mtu ni kuacha yale yasiyomhusu." 1 Sufyan bin Abdillah At-Thaqafi ~ alisema: "Nilisema: 'Ewe Mjumbe wa Allah, niambie jambo kuhusu Uislamu ambalo sitaweza kumuuliza mtu mwingine yeyote isipokuwa wewe'. Naye ﷺ akasema: "Sema: 'Ninamwamini Allah', kisha simama imara." Nikasema: 'Ewe Mjumbe wa Allah, ni jambo gani unaloogopa zaidi kwangu?' Akashika ulimi wake mwenyewe akasema: "Hili!" 2 Umm Habibah ,$,, mke wa Mtume ﷺ, ameripoti kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema: "Kila neno analolisema mwana wa Adam linahesabiwa dhidi yake wala si kwa manufaa yake, isipokuwa: kuhimiza lililo jema, kukataza lililo baya, au kumtaja Allah." 3 Katika Hadithi nyingine, Mtume ﷺ alisema kwamba mtu anapoamka asubuhi, viungo vyote hujinyenyekeza mbele ya ulimi na kusema: "Mcha Allah kwa ajili yetu, kwa kuwa sisi tunakutegemea; ukiwa mnyoofu nasi tunakuwa wanyoofu, lakini ukiwa mpotovu nasi tunakuwa wapotovu." 4 Wanazuoni wametofautiana kuhusu kama kila kitu mtu anachokitamka kinaandikwa au ni kile tu kinachohusu mema na maovu, huku mtazamo wa kwanza ukipewa uzito zaidi, kwa sababu Allah ~ amesema: (Hatamki neno lolote isipokuwa kuna mlinzi tayari kulirekodi.)5 Kuna magonjwa mawili makubwa yanayohusiana na ulimi; mtu akiwa salama kutokana na moja, hayuko salama kutokana na jingine; nayo ni magonjwa ya "kusema" na ya "kunyamaza". Moja linaweza kuwa dhambi kubwa kuliko jingine; kwani mtu anayenyamazia ukweli ni "shetani bubu", aliyeasi amri ya Allah ~; ilhali mtu anayesema uongo ni "shetani msemaji", aliyeasi amri ya Allah ~. Watu wema ni wale wanaozuia ndimi zao kutamka uongo, lakini wanazilegeza kusema yale yenye manufaa kwao katika Akhera yao. Mtu anaweza kuja Siku ya Kiyama akiwa na matendo mema yenye ukubwa wa milima, lakini yakaharibiwa na ulimi wake; au mtu anaweza kuja akiwa na matendo mabaya yenye ukubwa wa milima, lakini akakuta kwamba ulimi wake uliyaharibu kwa kumkumbuka Allah mara kwa mara! (4) Hatua za miguu zinapaswa kuhifadhiwa kwa maana kwamba mtu lazima atumie miguu yake kumpeleka mahali ambapo atapata Thawabu za Allah, si Laana Yake. Kwa kuwa kuteleza kunahusiana na mguu pamoja na ulimi, vyote viwili vimetajwa katika Aya, kama Allah ~ alivyosema: ( Waja wema wa Mwingi wa Rehema (Allah) ni wale wanaotembea juu ya ardhi kwa unyenyekevu na utulivu, na wajinga wanapowasemesha (kwa maneno mabaya) hujibu kwa maneno laini ya upole. ) 6 Allah ~ aliwaelezea waja Wake waaminifu kwa unyoofu katika maneno yao na hatua zao.

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.