I'm only telling you

Being aware of your speech

You all heard of the saying “silence is golden”, yet silence is generally perceived as anti-social. Watch how awkward people are in quiet moments. They start babbling for the sake of babbling, saying nothing meaningful. Or maybe it is meaningful if their utterances do impact on others and, you know, it is mostly negative. Good stories are boring and hard to tell. Only stories tellers with the gift of embellishment get to turn a boring story into excitement, but then mainly because there are some lies added in. Well lies have become the slip of the tongue for the majority. “I didn’t mean it like that” is an oft-repeated refrain when badmouthing innocence.

But what if you make a good thing sound like a bad thing: “Did you hear …” and then the ears are piqued for the juicy bit to follow. That opening line piques the interest. What is the purpose of mentioning something, in that tone, when it is neither illegal, nor unlawful? It simple creates a sentiment that what is to follow is so wrong. “His wife just died 3 months ago, and he is married again. How can he?”. “I don’t know what really happened, but they are divorced? Wonder what happened there?” “How can she marry such an old guy? His children are almost as old as her”. This is how divorce gets stigmatised, so too polygyny, so to age differences between spouses and so many other matters. If the matter concerns you, then it just right to engage those involved. But to mention this in a company of people with no direct link to such issues, is to create unnecessary restlessness. This further leads to matters of religion overridden by folklore because some auntie or uncle has an opinion other than that of the religion.

When you speak and utter statements that conflict with the sharee’ah, then know and understand it is a transgression. When the other party has done no wrong, then to sit in judgement of that decision, while not directly involved, is a serious problem. Is it that you judge something and comment such that you cast aspersion on the religion and open Islam up for unnecessary criticism? If what transpired between people is permissible, then why the tone and connotation when relating the matter? Why relate the matter at all, especially if you are not soliciting a good prayer for these people that you so harshly speak about. There is no private meeting or group where you are free from the All-seeing Allah.

If you say things to cast aspersion on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or his companions, his wives or the religion in general, then can you look forward to meeting him on the day of reckoning? Really, think before you say things about permissible matters as if you think it is wrong.

We pray for guidance and understanding.