BEHAVING IN THE BEST WAYS & CONTROLLING OUR TONGUES
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam) used to say:
“The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.”
[al-Bukhari]
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had exemplery manners & was the best towards others. Surely he is the best example for us to follow & so we should also do our utmost to behave in the best of ways towards others and show exemplery manners like he did.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
“There is none heavier in the scales of the Hereafter than good character.”
[Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud]
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) also said:
“The best loved by me and the nearest to me on the seats on the Day of Resurrection are those who have the best manners and conduct amongst you, who are intimate, are on good terms with others and are humble, and the most hated by me and who will be on the furthest seats from me are those who are talkative and arrogant.” [Tirmidhi]
So if good character & manners are the heaviest on the scales in normal times then can you imagine how much more heavier they will be if we behave with good character and manners during the blessed month of Ramadan?
So let us be the best towards our parents & family, towards our friends & those we know & don’t know. Let us be the best towards all Muslims and non Muslims alike.
Controlling our tonguesRamadan is a time where we must control our desires (nafs) as well as our tongues:
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
“Fasting is not (abstaining) from eating and drinking only, but also from vain speech and foul language. If one of you is being cursed or annoyed, he should say: ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.”
[Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Hibban]
Therefore we must protect our tongues at all times from vain speech and foul language. Protecting the tongue is preventing it from lying, back-biting, slander, tale-carrying, false speech and other things that have been forbidden in the Qur’an & Sunnah.
THOSE WHO CONTROL THEIR TONGUES ARE OF THE BEST OF MUSLIMS:
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked:
“Which Muslim is best?”
He responded:
“One who the other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand.”
[Tirmidhi, #2504]
So how can we begin to control our tongues? This can be done by:
“THINKING BEFORE SPEAKING”.
We must not talk without even thinking about what we are going to say. Therefore before we saying anything we should always think whether or not what we are going to say is going to please or displease Allah.
If in doubt whether or not what were about to say will anger or displease Allah then we should just refrain from saying it altogether. If we have nothing good to say then surely it is better NOT to say anything at all.
Remember: We WILL be accountable for everything we said in our lives & so we MUST start taking responsiblity for what comes out of our mouths NOW otherwise we will regret it later when it is too late.
Therefore we must get into the habit of: “Thinking before speaking”.
REMEMBER: IF WE DO NOT CONTROL OUR TONGUES THEN OUR FASTS WILL BEVIN VAIN:
Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
“Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or acting according to his false speech.”
[Sahih Bukhari]