By Shaykh Ibrahim Menk
10 April 2026

﷽ 

Allah has given us a limb, a piece of flesh that is more powerful than we sometimes realise if it is utilised in the correct manner. And that is the tongue.

It is by the tongue that a person enters into Islam. It is by the utterance of the tongue that a person can leave the fold of Islam. It is by the tongue that we remember Allah, and it is by the tongue that we create affection within the hearts of others, or we break their hearts as well.

So Allah has given us the ability to say what we want to say. But the question is: will we say that which He wants us to say? Will we say that which is in accordance with what He wants from us? Or will we just say whatever we want?

Allah strikes a very profound example in the Qur’an (14:24–25): He says that the example of a good word is like that of a good tree, its roots firmly embedded into the ground and its branches in the heavens. It gives its fruit by the permission of its Lord.

Primarily, this good word refers to the shahadah, lā ilāha illa Allah. Because when we say it, there is so much benefit that comes from that word. A person prays salah, he earns reward with Allah. He gives zakah, he earns reward with Allah سبحانه وتعالى. So based on that word, a lot of goodness comes about.

But we can take that same example and apply it to our words in our day-to-day lives as well.

One is the speech that we have with ourselves. What do we say to ourselves when we are alone? If we are positive in our speech to ourselves and we apply it well to ourselves, then you find that a person is positive with others as well. Often those who are horrible in their speech, those who are evil in their speech, they have a problem with themselves.

Allah is teaching us that when you have a good word with yourself, positive words, encouraging words, then this has an effect. Didn’t the Sunnah teach us: “O Allah, beautify my inner being, my character, in the manner that You have beautified my outer being”?

When a person believes that he can be a good person, that he is capable of saying that which is good, then ultimately he begins to believe good of others as well.

And if you want to know whether you believe goodness of others or not, then the next time you see a person, ask yourself: what was the feeling that just passed through my heart? Was it goodness? Or was it jealousy, hatred, and evil? Then you know what is going on within.

Allah says:

So when we have this good relationship with ourselves, then we project it onto others as well. You find the father enters the home and there are smiles all around. The mother enters the home and she says salām and there are smiles all around. The children are happy, the spouse is happy, everyone is happy within the home. Why? Because this person was positive with themselves.

If there is one thing we can learn from Islam, it is that the shahādah itself is all positivity. The shahadah itself is a key to Jannah. So is that not positivity?

The power of this shahadah is that it should be transformational for us, not only with regards to our akhirah, but with regards to our dunya as well. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was described as optimistic, as a person who constantly smiled. His behaviour reflected the inner feeling within his heart.

And this is so important today, especially when you have people online who get onto social media, come into the comment section, and slaughter a fellow Muslim brother or sister for no reason whatsoever. Why? Because they can hide behind a screen. They can hide behind fake names and fake accounts. If they met you in person, they would not say what they say online. But because they can hide, they have the courage to do so.

My brothers and sisters in Islam, the Prophet ﷺ told us that a person may utter a word, not caring about it, and because of it he will fall into the Fire. And the Prophet ﷺ said:

Whoever guarantees for me that which is between his two jaws and that which is between his two legs, I guarantee him Jannah.

If you can protect your tongue, then perhaps you are from the people of Jannah. And if you cannot protect it, then be very aware that there is a possibility that this tongue is leading you to the hellfire, not only in the akhirah, but in the dunya as well. 

Allah said to His Messenger ﷺ:

Who was this being said about? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Allah said to him that if he were harsh with them, they would have turned away from him. So when we see people around us moving away from us, then it is time to re-evaluate ourselves.

And sometimes the answer is silence.

Allah tells us in the story of Yusuf عليه السلام that when his brothers falsely accused him, “Yusuf kept it within himself and did not reveal it to them.” (Qur’an 12:77) He had the upper hand, but he remained silent. Because within silence you can control the outcome. The minute you speak in a moment of emotion, you become a prisoner of your words.

That is why the Prophet ﷺ said:

Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say good or remain silent.

Let us try to be positive. If we have something good to say, then by all means let us say it. If we do not, then let us think very carefully before speaking. And if we must say something critical, then let us do it in the correct manner, in the right manner.

We ask Allah to forgive us, to guard our tongues for us, and to give us the ability to say that which is good. We ask Allah to accept it from us.

O Allah, forgive us for the words we have uttered carelessly, knowingly and unknowingly. O Allah, guard our tongues, purify our hearts, and make us people who say that which is good or remain silent. O Allah, place affection in our homes, mercy in our speech, and sincerity in our hearts. O Allah, do not let our tongues be a cause of regret on the Day we meet You.

Ameen.

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