In today's times, most people tend to be careless about avoiding the harms of the tongue, which are widespread among the people. The following are some of the most common harms:

● Talking about what does not concern you: This is a common practice, even though the Prophet  said: “A sign of a person's good practice of Islam, is giving up that which does not concern one.” The Prophet  also said: “The people with the most sins, are those who most frequently indulge in conversations which do not concern them.”


In order to set the limits for what does not concern you, you must ask yourself the following questions:


-      Is there any harm if you remain silent?


-      Is it an issue that concerns you?


-      Is it some information that is vital to your wellbeing and which you need?


The matters that concern a person are those which directly relate to his life, or things which would prevent harm from afflicting him.


The reason behind the prevalence of such practices is when a person is eager to know what he has no need for, prolonging the conversation is a way of strengthening social relations with the one being talked to or passing time in useless talks.


The way to cure this problem is by remembering that death could attack you at any time, and you will questioned about your words. Time is your capital in life, and silence is a way to earn eternal joy and the company of the purified consorts of Paradise. You should train yourself to be silent gradually by avoiding idle chatting and gossip as far as possible.


● Indulging in falsehood: This includes talking about women, and sitting in gatherings which include drinking, conveying and spreading innovations in the religion. All of this is prohibited because it goes under the saying of the Prophet : “A man may utter a word which pleases Allah, which causes the pleasure of Allah upon him until the Day of Resurrection. A man may utter a word which displeases Allah, which causes the wrath of Allah upon him until the Day of Resurrection.” [Ahmad]


● Disputing and arguing which we were prohibited to do, Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad ), in this worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents. And when he turns away (from you O Muhammad ), his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allah likes not mischief”} [Quran, 2: 204-205]


The Prophet  said: “The most hated person to Allah, is the one who always disputes and starts enmity.” [Al-Bukhari]. A Muslim should guard his tongue from saying what intimidates others or angers them, and remember the saying of the Prophet : “I will guarantee a house in Jannah (Paradise) for the one who ends an argument even if he was in the right.” [Abu Daawood].


● Cursing and badmouthing: The Prophet  said: “A Muslim does not badmouth, curse, nor is he spiteful.” [Ahmad, At-Tirmithi].He  also said: “Reviling a Muslim is an act of outrage (moral depravity) and fighting against him is an act of disbelief (Kufr)”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Unfortunately, this is common amongst the people nowadays, especially amongst the youth. A Muslim is commanded to purify his tongue from immoral words.


Lying is a reprehensible quality against which the Islamic Sharee’ah (Islamic legislation) has issued severe warnings. Man’s sound nature is instinctively repelled by such a quality and all sound-minded and noble people refuse it to indulge in it.

Truthfulness is one of the pillars of the survival of the Universe, the origin of all praiseworthy qualities, the cornerstone of Prophethood and the natural fruit of piety. Lying, on the other hand, is an act by which one breaks away from the sound innate human nature.

In Islam, lying has been warned against and prohibited in the Quran, the Prophetic Sunnah (tradition) and the consensus of the Muslim scholars. Lying has very evil consequences in both this life and the life to come.

Lying has only been permitted under very stringent conditions and in particular situations when it does not result in depriving anyone from his/her rights, shedding blood or slandering others and the like. In fact, lying has only been permitted in a situation to save someone’s life, reconcile between two disputing parties or bring about more love and compassion between spouses.

There is no special day or time during which Islam permits people to lie and say whatever they wish. On the first day of April (what is known as April Fools’ Day), people deem lying and saying anything they wish lawful, without having any basis to their claims. There is a great deal of evil resulting from such a practice, which we will mention later.

Statements of the Salaf (pious predecessors) regarding lying:

· Ibn Mas`ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Truthfulness leads to piety and piety leads to paradise. A man persists in speaking the truth until no trace of evil will be left in his heart nor can transgression remain therein. On the other hand, a man continues to lie until not so much as the space that a needle occupies of piety would be left in his heart.”

· Ibn Mas`ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Lying is not accepted in jest or seriousness.” Then he, may Allah be pleased with him, recited the verse (which means): {O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are truthful.} [Quran 9:119]

· Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Beware of lying as it opposes faith.”


· Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “A believer can get accustomed to all qualities except lying and deception.”

· Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “One will never achieve the reality of faith until he refrains from lying even if it is in jest.”

Permissible Lying:

Lying is considered lawful in Islam for three different reasons: war, reconciling between disputing people and between spouses for the purpose of arousing love and compassion and to prevent disputes. It is also lawful to tell a lie under extenuating circumstances. An example of this is the case of a Muslim who hides himself or his money from a tyrant who is bent on killing him or taking his money from him by force. If one knows the whereabouts of this Muslim or his money and is asked about it, it is permissible for him in this case to lie in order to save a Muslim's life or his property. However, it is better to give an equivocal answer (that is, one which is not clear or definite in meaning), and that can be interpreted in more than one way in order to shun lying altogether.

The sum and substance of this discussion has been derived from the Hadeeth by Umm Kulthoom, may Allah be pleased with her, who said, “The Messenger of Allah  said: “A liar is not the one who tries to bring about reconciliation between the people and speaks good to avert dispute or to convey good.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Asmaa’ bint Yazeed, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The Messenger of Allah  said: “Lying is not permissible except for three reasons: lying to one’s wife to please her (for the purpose of arousing love and compassion and prevent disputes), lying during war and lying when reconciling between disputing people.” [At-Tirmithi, and al-Albaani who classified it as Sound]

● Claiming eloquence: This is dispraised and it leads to boasting. The Prophet  said: “Those most hated and the farthest on the Day of Resurrection are those with the worst manners, those who prattle, boast and the arrogant.” [At-Tirmithi].