Malfuzat – Volume II — Page 137
137 dise to one who safeguards from evil the organ beneath the naval and the tongue. ’ Eating that which is forbidden is not as detrimental as speaking falsehood. Let no one be misled to believe that there is no harm in eating that which is unlaw- ful. Anyone who thinks this way is gravely mistaken. My purpose is to highlight that it is one thing for a person to consume the flesh of swine themselves under compelling circumstances, but if they were to issue an edict with their tongue, permitting the consumption of swine, such a one would be guilty of an action that moves them away from Islam to a far greater extent. For such a one declares permissible a thing which has been forbidden by Allah the Exalted. Therefore, this demonstrates that the harm caused by the tongue is dangerous. Therefore, a righteous person must keep control over their tongue. A God-fearing person does not say anything that is contrary to righteousness. So rule over your tongues, let not your tongues rule over you, such that you should speak nonsense without consideration. Before you say anything, reflect over the consequences that your words will bring. Reflect as to whether Allah the Exalted permits you to say such a thing, and until you contemplate over this, do not speak. It is better to not speak at all than to say something that causes evil and disorder. However, notwithstand- ing that fact, it is also against the greatness of a believer to refrain from express- ing a matter of truth. When such an occasion arises, let not the reproach of any critic or any fear stand in the way of your tongue. When our Noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, announced his claim to prophethood, his relatives and even strangers became his enemy, but he did not care about any of these people for even a heartbeat. When Abu Talib, the uncle of the Holy Prophet sa , could bear to hear no more complaints and raised the matter with the Holy Prophet sa , the Prophet of Islam clearly stated: ‘I cannot refrain from ex- pressing the truth. You are free to stand by me if you wish, or leave me. ’ Therefore, one must hold back the tongue from saying anything that is contrary to the pleasure of God Almighty. Yet, it is necessary to use the tongue to express the truth. The greatness of the believers is described as follows: 1 ِ يَاْمُرُوْنَ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَر They enjoin what is good and forbid evil. Before one enjoins goodness and forbids evil to others, it is incumbent for an in- 1 Aal-e-Imran, 3:115