.الدنيا ساعة اجعلها طاعة

“Guard your tongues as you would guard silver.”

Upon the authority of Abu Huraira (رضى الله عنه) who said the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:

“Whoever believeس in Allah and the last day then let him say that which is good of remain silent.”

(Bukhari 5785 and Muslim 47)

Upon the authority of Al Hasan Al Basri (رحمه الله) who said that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: ”May Allah have mercy upon a servant who speaks, and thereby gains a profit (i.e. he uttered something that earned him reward) or remains silent and safe.” (Collected in musnad As-Shihaab 581)

*Though this hadith is ‘Mursal” (when a tabi’ee narrates it from Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم)) it is Declared ‘Hasan” by Sheikh Al-Albani in Saheehul Jami’ (3497) and “Saheeha” (855)*

The following version of the hadeeth brings clarity to this hadeeth:

Upon Ubaadah bin Saamit (رضى الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, ”Speak good and you will gain (reward) and refrain from evil speech and you will be safe.” 

(Musnad As-Shuhaab 666) and declared Saheeh by Sheikh Al-Albaani in Saheehul Jaami 4419

Upon the authority of Abdullah Ibn Amr (رضى الله عنه) who said that the Messenger of Allah said  (صلى الله عليه و سلم), “He who remains silent will be successful.”

(Collected by At-Tirmidhi 2501 and declared Saheeh by Sheikh Al-Albaani)

Upon the authority of Simaak who said, 

“I said to Jaabir Ibn Samurah, “Did you used to sit with the Messenger of Allah  (صلى الله عليه و سلم)? He said, “Yes! Indeed He used to be given long periods of silence, and would laugh little. His companions used to mention poetry and would discuss their affairs in his presence and they laugh and he would probably smile.” 

(Collected by Ahmad in his Musnad 20829 and declared “hasan” in Saheehul Jaami’ 4822)

Talha Ibn Ubaidillah said I happened to embark upon a ship alongside Imaam Ahmad and (I noticed) he had long periods of silence but when he did speak he said, “Oh Allah cause me to die upon Islam and the Sunnah!”

(Collected bu Khateebul Baghdaadi in Tareekhuil Baghdad 9/349)

Upon the Authority of Imaam Al Awzaa’ee who said, “Sulaiman Ibn Daawood (عله السلام) said, “If speech was made of silver, then silence would be golden.”

(Collected by Ibn Abi Dunyo in ‘As Samt’ 47)

Muwwarraq Al-Ijli (رحمه الله) said, “There is an affair that I have been seeking for ten years that I haven’t achieved yet and I will never leave along seeking it.” they said, “and what is that oh Abu-Mu’tamir?” He said, “To reamin silent about what does not concern me.”

(Collected by Ibn Abi Shaiba 35144)

Upon the authority of Wuhaib Ibnil Warad (رحمه الله) who said, “It used to be said that wisdom is in ten parts, nine of them are connected to silene while the tenth is in seclusion from the people.” 

(Collected by Ibn Abu Dunya is ‘As Samt’ 36)

Upon the authority of Ali (رضى الله عنه) who said “The tongue of mankind is like the pen of a king and his saliva is its ink.”

(Collected by Ibn Abi Dunya in ‘As Samt’ 79)

Upon the authority of Abdullah Ibn Amr (رضى الله عنه) who said, “Leave alone that which has nothing to do with you whatsoever and do not speak about what does not concern you, and guard your tongues as you would guard silver.”

(Collected by Ibn Abi Dunya in ‘As Samt’ 24)

Upon the authority of Al Hasan Al Basri (رحمه الله) who said, “He who is plenty in wealth is plenty in sin (usually), and he whose speech is plentiful, lies plentifully and he whose character is bad (only) punishes himself.”

 (Collected by Ibn Abi Dunya in ‘As Samt’ 9)

Upon the authority of Ibn Mas’ood (رضى الله عنه) who said, “By He who is there is no God other than Him. There is nothing on the earth more in need of being imprisoned than the tongue.” 

 (Collected by Ibn Abi Dunya in ‘As Samt’ 16)