Speech

There is no one who is mindful of what he says except that you will see the good of it in the rest of his actions.

Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Ṣamt wa Ādāb Al-Lisān article 60.

A man once asked Ubay b. Kaʿb – Allāh be pleased with him, “Exhort me with something I can benefit by and by which I will be rewarded.” He replied, “Be brotherly with brothers according to how righteous they are, do not expend your speech on those who are not interested in it, do not seek anyone to meet your need who does not care if he does not fulfil it, and do not envy the living except for something you would envy the dead.”

Al-Ājurrī, Juz fīhi Ḥikāyāt ʿan Al-Shāfiʿī article 24.

“O people, there are four characteristics to come, whoever can avoid reaching them should do so.” [People] asked, “And what are they?” He replied, “There will come a time in which falsehood will rise, and a time will come in which a man will say, ‘By Allāh, I do not know what I am’, he will neither live nor die upon insight (knowledge of what he should be). And a time will come in which a man will start his day on one religion and end it on another. And a time will come when a man will be given wealth from the wealth Allāh provides, in return for saying what is wrong and false and for which Allāh will be angry with him.”

Ibn ʿAsākir, Tārīkh Dimishq 58:442

No man speaks well about another while not knowing it to be true except that he is also likely to speak badly about him without knowing it to be true. And two people do not accompany each other doing something that is not obedience to Allāh except that it is likely they will part from each other doing something that is not obedience to Allāh.

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm 5:274 article 2118.

Do not be from those who are hasty, who broadcast (what should not be broadcast), who plant trouble by divulging what should be secret, for you will face severe, prolonged and heavy tribulations.

Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad no. 327. Its chain of transmission was graded ṣaḥīḥ by Al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Adab Al-Mufrad no.250.

Do not be with the sinner (fājir), for he will beautify to you the things he does, and he will want you to be like him; and he will beautify to you the worst of his practices; and his entrance upon you and leaving from your company will cause ignominy and discredit [of you]. And do not accompany the fool (aḥmaq), for he will exhaust himself [to help you] but will not benefit you, and he may want to benefit you but end up harming you; his silence is better than his speaking, his distance is better than his closeness, and him dying is better than him living. And do not accompany the liar, for life will not benefit you with him, he will tell others what you say, and tell you what others say; and if you speak the truth, it will not be believed.

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir AlʿIlm no. 1379.

I have met men in front of whom I would be ashamed to speak, and I have met men who used to say nothing but the truth, or be silent. And I have met men who had never seen the sky properly, out of fear of their Lord.

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm article 2039.

I was young during the time of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ and I had memorised things he had said; nothing stopped me from speaking except for the fact that there were amongst us men who were older than me.

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb Al-Janāʾiz #964.

“What is the best thing a person is ever given?” He replied, “Innate intelligence.” He then asked, “And if not that?” He replied, “Good conduct.” He then asked, “And if not that?” He replied, “A compassionate brother to consult.” He then asked, “And if not that?” He replied, “Long silence.” He asked, “And if not that?” Ibn Al-Mubārak replied, “Then an early death.”

Al-Dhahabī, Siyar ʾAʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ 8:397.

We were once in the house of ʿAlqamah b. Qays. Rabīʿ b. Ḵuthaym entered upon us and sat in a corner of the house. Then he said, “Speak only a little except for nine things: subḥānallāh, al-ḥamdulillāh, lā ilāha illallāh, Allāhu ʾakbar, reciting the Qurān, enjoining good, forbidding wrong, asking Allāh for what is good and seeking His protection from harm (evil).”

Hannād b. Al-Sarīy, Al-Zuhd #1108.

Whoever seeks praise by [saying or doing] what goes against Allāh, Allāh will turn those praises back on him to blame; and whoever is bold enough to [say or do] what brings blame [from people but] is in conformity to the truth, Allāh will turn that blame into praise.

Abū Dāwūd, Al-Zuhd #494.

Have taqwā of Allāh and behave modestly (with a sense of shame), and cover yourselves; let not any of you bathe except behind a covering.

Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān #7398.

Leave alone what you have nothing to do with, and do not speak about what does not concern you, and secure your tongue like you secure your money.

Ibn Ḥibbān Al-Bustī, Rawḍatu Al-ʿUqalāʾ 1:55.

Woe to you, say what is good and you will reap gain, and be silent from speaking evil and you will be safe.

Imām Aḥmad, Al-Zuhd p236

Those before you used to consider idle talk to be anything other than the Book of Allāh, or the enjoining of good, or the forbidding of evil, or speaking for the sake of your basic living needs. Do you deny that there are recording angels appointed over you? Sitting on your right and your left? Never is a word said except there is an observer prepared to record? Are you not afraid (ashamed) that your record of words and deeds be spread open only to discover that there is nothing of the hereafter in it?

Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 5:86