The Great Practice Of Being Silent
Silence is often associated with the characteristics of an introvert and is mostly looked down upon. Socializing, smooth talking, and a welcoming demeanor are the it qualities that everyone gravitates to. The individuals with a loud personality are considered to be smarter, wittier and likable, while their counterparts to be arrogant, insecure, and boring.
Islam, however praises the quality of staying silent. It is considered a characteristic that beautifies a believer and instills modesty. Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ embodied the art of staying silent and speaking only when necessary. Narrated Ans (R), Allah’s messenger صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ said wisdom consists in keeping silent, and those who practice it or few.
From this we learn many things and from other a hadith the concept becomes even clearer. Just taking from this hadith we see that it is best to be silent. Today we see people who openly speak on issues in which they have no knowledge about.
Also we see people who continuously talk without any point in their rambling. We will see inshallah how this is wrong, through proofs from Quran in sunnah and inshallah we will refrain from doing this as best as we can.
A man reviled Abu Bakr in the presence of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. The prophet remained seated. He looked pleased and smiled. He insulted Abu Bakr twice. But Abu Bakr controlled himself and remained silent. He insulted him for the third time. And Abu Bakr then let his tongue loose and responded back. At that the messenger of Allah got up and left. Abu Bakr followed after the prophet and said, “Messenger of Allah,” he insulted me and you just sat there. Then when I responded to some of what he said, you became angry and got up.
The prophet said, “There was an angel with you who was responding to his insults on your behalf.” Then the prophet said, “Abu Bakr, keep in mind three things which are always true.
One of which is that whenever a person is subjected to an injustice but leaves the matter to Allah, then Allah will come to his aid. Once Muadh ibn Jabal asked the prophet to inform him of some good work that would admit him into paradise and distance him from the hellfire.
The prophet mentioned to him the virtues of many good deeds. Then said, “Shall I inform you of the foundation of all of that?”
Muadh said, “Certainly.” The prophet took hold of his tongue and said, “Restrain yourself from this.” Muadh then asked, “Oh prophet of Allah, are we held to task for the things that we say?”
The prophet replied, “May your mother be be bereaved of you, oh Muadh, does anything topple people headlong into the hellfire, save the harvests of their tongues?”
We should avoid speaking ill of others. We should rather remain silent unless we are seeking justice for some wrong that has been perpetrated against us. Allah says, Allah does not like that evil should be mentioned in public except by one who has been done injustice, and Allah is all hearing all knowing. (an-nisa:148) Our tongues are like double-edged swords.
لَّا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَن ظُلِمَ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا
Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things.
[Surah An-Nisaa:148]
They can work for us and against us both in this world and the hereafter. We will be held accountable for what we say. Allah tells us he does not utter a statement except that there is an observer by him ready to record it. The prophet said, indeed a servant will speak a word pleasing to Allah, that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it Allah raises him by many degrees.
And indeed a servant will speak a word displeasing to Allah, that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it, he will consign him to the hellfire. We must be vigilant not to speak falsehood. We must think about what we are saying and the possible consequences of our words before we go ahead and speak. The prophet said, “A man might speak a word without thinking about its implications, but because of it, he will plunge into the hellfire further than the distance between the east and the west.
” Al-Nawawi comments on the meaning of this hadith, saying, “This hadith encourages us to guard our tongues. A person who wants to speak should think upon what he is about to say before he utters it. If it then shows itself to have some benefit to it, he may speak it.
Otherwise, he should refrain from doing so. In surah Al-Imran, Allah says, “Behold, you are they who disputed about that of which you had knowledge. Why then do you dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? and Allah knows while you do not know?
We see from this ayah of the Quran that we should not dispute or speak without knowledge. This should be enough proof for those who want to comment on every issue discussed even though they do not know the correct rulings or responses to them.
These people want to do Ijtihad on these issues, yet they have no right to do so. When a person falls into a situation where a discussion leads into something he does not have knowledge on.
This person faces two choices.
If people in this situation truly are righteous, they will simply say I don’t know and leave it like that.
But for those who are arrogant or ignorant, they will try their best to answer the question even though they may have no idea what the Islamic stance or ruling may be. The above ayah puts it simple and is something we should reflect on every day of our lives. We should take from the example of those pious people who came before us.
People such as Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal and Imam Shafief, who when faced with a question they did not know the answer to simply said I do not know and left it like that. This simple phrase shows the sincerity and wisdom in such men. It shows that they’re seeking knowledge and not spreading it for self-recognition but rather to be closer to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ the Lord of all the worlds.
