"The Most Compassionate, He provided knowledge of the Qur'an; He Created Humankind; He provided human beings with the ability to communicate." Qur'an 55:1-4 "Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let such a person speak good or remain silent." Prophet Muhammad Communication Islamic teachings demand that when we speak we should:
By: Sadullah Khan
Original Link: Proper use of the Gift of Speech: Islamicity
"It is obligatory upon you to control your tongue"
Also remember
"Whosoever speaks much is more prone to err."
It is no wonder that the Prophet Muhammad 
"Control of the tongue."
"Silence is wisdom, yet few practice it."
"Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let such a person speak good or remain silent."
"Do not say anything except good"
Think before speaking
Wise are the words of the one who said:
"Think before speaking so that you safeguard yourself from problems."
It is important to engage one's brain before engaging one's mouth. Remember that good old prayer:
"O Lord! Grant me the ability to keep my mouth shut until I know what I am talking about."
"Truthfulness is obligatory upon you for surely truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to paradise"
One of the signs of a hypocrite is " the tendency to lie when speaking."
The Qur'an refers to those who truly believe as those who avoid vain and nonsensical talk
"(Believers) are they who avoid vain talk" (Qur'an 22:3)
"They pass by nonsensical talk with honorable avoidance."
Do not speak of that which you have no knowledge (Qur'an 7:33) and verify facts before speaking (Qur'an 49: 6) and do not pass on everything you hear
"Surely, Allah dislikes your communicating everything you hear from one person to another"
Though we should speak the truth even if it is bitter, we should never be vulgar in the content or the manner of our speech
"The Believer does not taunt nor a curse, neither is he indecent nor abusive."
(honesty, propriety, accuracy)
"The intelligent person considers his understanding and feelings before speaking, the idiot speaks irrespective of understanding and feeling."
"Let your speaking be proper, your deeds will be rectified" (Qur'an 33:70)
Showing posts with label Truthfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Truthfulness. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Proper use of the Gift of Speech: Islamicity
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Message and Method of the Prophet: Islamicity
By: Abdul Wahid Hamid
Some of the major aspects of the mission and method of Prophet Muhammad are eloquently presented in a speech which one of his companions, Jafar ibn abi Taalib, made to the Christian ruler of Abyssinia in Africa in the year 616 CE. Jafar was the spokesman of a group of early Muslims who had sailed across the Red Sea and sought asylum in Abyssinia from the persecution of the pagan Makkans:
"0 King," he said, "We were a people steeped in ignorance, worshipping idols, eating the flesh of dead animals, committing abominations, neglecting our relations and ill-treating our neighbors, and the strong among us would oppress the weak.
"We were in this state when God sent to us a messenger from among us, whose descent and sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness and honesty were known to us.
"He summoned us to worship the One True God and to renounce the stones and idols we and our fathers used to worship apart from God.
"He ordered us to speak the truth, to fulfill all that is entrusted to us, to care for our relatives, to be kind to our neighbors, to refrain from what is forbidden and from bloodshed.
"He has forbidden us from engaging in obscene and shameful acts, from speaking falsehoods, from devouring the property of orphans and from vilifying virtuous women.
"He commanded us to worship God alone and to assign no partners unto Him, to pray, to pay the purifying tax and to fast.
"We deemed him truthful and we believed in him, and we followed the message he brought to us from God..."
From Jafar's speech on the mission and method of the Prophet, we see that the first thing he stressed was the worldview of Tawhiid, the worship of the One True God. To be on the straight and natural way, the human being's first duty is to gain or regain a correct knowledge of and belief in God. From this knowledge he will come to accept the wisdom and authority of God. From this will spring correct action.
As an indication of this method of the Prophet in bringing about individual and social transformation, his wife Aaishah is reported as saying that the Prophet did not start by telling people not to drink wine and not to commit fornication and adultery. He started by telling them about God and the Hereafter until they had firm belief in them. It is only then he told them not to drink or commit adultery and they obeyed him. "Had he started by telling them not to drink wine or not commit adultery; they would have said, 'We will never abandon them?"
From Jafar's speech, we learn that the Prophet encouraged all the natural moral virtues such as truthfulness, kindness, generosity, and justice. And he condemned all the naturally repugnant vices such as false speech shamelessness, adultery and fornication, ignorance, and oppression.
There is also the testimony of Jafar on the truthfulness of the Prophet. Both before and after he became a prophet, Muhammad had unchallenged reputation of a person who was always truthful and trustworthy. For this he was known as As-Saadiq and Al-Amiin respectively.
In fact, mission and method fused in the Prophet since we are told by Aaishah, may God be pleased with her: "His character was the Quran." To reject the Prophet is to reject the Quran and to reject the Quran is to reject the human being's only authentic source of Divine guidance.
The importance of the Quran and the example of the Prophet Muhammad plays a vital role in forming a valid and satisfying worldview for the human being in whatever time or place he or she may live. Since the Quran is the final and complete message of God to humanity and since there will be no prophet after Muhammad, it is especially important for people everywhere to discover or rediscover the meaning and relevance of the Quran to their lives. Whether you live in the north or the south, the east or the west, whether you live in the so-called developed and advanced world or the underdeveloped and impoverished world, whether you are a male or female, young or old, the Quran has a message for you. In fact, it is the message for you.
The Quran stresses the Oneness of God and the duty of the human being to acknowledge and worship God alone. If we approach the Quran with sincerity it reveals the age old questions about the nature of the human being, the purpose of his life and the various choices and destinies open to him. In other words: Who are we? What are we doing here on earth? And where do we go from here?
Adapted form the book "ISLAM the natural way" by Abdul Wahid Hamid
"0 King," he said, "We were a people steeped in ignorance, worshipping idols, eating the flesh of dead animals, committing abominations, neglecting our relations and ill-treating our neighbors, and the strong among us would oppress the weak.
"We were in this state when God sent to us a messenger from among us, whose descent and sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness and honesty were known to us.
"He summoned us to worship the One True God and to renounce the stones and idols we and our fathers used to worship apart from God.
"He ordered us to speak the truth, to fulfill all that is entrusted to us, to care for our relatives, to be kind to our neighbors, to refrain from what is forbidden and from bloodshed.
"He has forbidden us from engaging in obscene and shameful acts, from speaking falsehoods, from devouring the property of orphans and from vilifying virtuous women.
"He commanded us to worship God alone and to assign no partners unto Him, to pray, to pay the purifying tax and to fast.
"We deemed him truthful and we believed in him, and we followed the message he brought to us from God..."
From Jafar's speech on the mission and method of the Prophet, we see that the first thing he stressed was the worldview of Tawhiid, the worship of the One True God. To be on the straight and natural way, the human being's first duty is to gain or regain a correct knowledge of and belief in God. From this knowledge he will come to accept the wisdom and authority of God. From this will spring correct action.
As an indication of this method of the Prophet in bringing about individual and social transformation, his wife Aaishah is reported as saying that the Prophet did not start by telling people not to drink wine and not to commit fornication and adultery. He started by telling them about God and the Hereafter until they had firm belief in them. It is only then he told them not to drink or commit adultery and they obeyed him. "Had he started by telling them not to drink wine or not commit adultery; they would have said, 'We will never abandon them?"
From Jafar's speech, we learn that the Prophet encouraged all the natural moral virtues such as truthfulness, kindness, generosity, and justice. And he condemned all the naturally repugnant vices such as false speech shamelessness, adultery and fornication, ignorance, and oppression.
There is also the testimony of Jafar on the truthfulness of the Prophet. Both before and after he became a prophet, Muhammad had unchallenged reputation of a person who was always truthful and trustworthy. For this he was known as As-Saadiq and Al-Amiin respectively.
In fact, mission and method fused in the Prophet since we are told by Aaishah, may God be pleased with her: "His character was the Quran." To reject the Prophet is to reject the Quran and to reject the Quran is to reject the human being's only authentic source of Divine guidance.
The importance of the Quran and the example of the Prophet Muhammad plays a vital role in forming a valid and satisfying worldview for the human being in whatever time or place he or she may live. Since the Quran is the final and complete message of God to humanity and since there will be no prophet after Muhammad, it is especially important for people everywhere to discover or rediscover the meaning and relevance of the Quran to their lives. Whether you live in the north or the south, the east or the west, whether you live in the so-called developed and advanced world or the underdeveloped and impoverished world, whether you are a male or female, young or old, the Quran has a message for you. In fact, it is the message for you.
The Quran stresses the Oneness of God and the duty of the human being to acknowledge and worship God alone. If we approach the Quran with sincerity it reveals the age old questions about the nature of the human being, the purpose of his life and the various choices and destinies open to him. In other words: Who are we? What are we doing here on earth? And where do we go from here?
Adapted form the book "ISLAM the natural way" by Abdul Wahid Hamid
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