The True Muslim: Tongue and Hand
📜 The True Muslim — Tongue and Hand Preserved
This hadith redefines Muslim identity. Being Muslim is not just about ritual acts, but about how you are with others.
📖 Text of the Hadith
🔷 Arabic Text with Tashkīl
On the authority of 'Abd Allāh ibn 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both), the Prophet ﷺ said:
« الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالْمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللهُ عَنْهُ »
"The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe. And the emigrant (muhājir) is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden."
📚 Ḥadīth Classification (Takhrīj)
| Source | Number | Ruling |
|---|---|---|
| Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī | 10 | ✅ Authentic |
| Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim | 40 | ✅ Authentic |
| Sunan an-Nasā'ī | 4996 | ✅ Authentic |
| Sunan Abū Dāwūd | 2481 | ✅ Authentic |
💡 This hadith is placed by al-Bukhārī at the very beginning of his Ṣaḥīḥ (10th hadith), emphasizing that Islam is inseparable from good conduct toward others.
🎓 Status of this Ḥadīth
📌 Scholars' Statements
| Scholar | Quote |
|---|---|
| Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (may Allah have mercy on him) | "This hadith is a foundation of Islam. It defines the Muslim by their impact on others, not merely by their rituals." — Jāmi' al-'Ulūm wal-Ḥikam |
| Imam an-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) | "The Prophet ﷺ linked Islam to preserving others from all verbal or physical harm." — Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim |
| Ibn Ḥajar al-'Asqalānī (may Allah have mercy on him) | "The mention of the tongue before the hand indicates that damage by speech is more frequent and sometimes more severe." — Fatḥ al-Bārī |
| Al-Qurṭubī (may Allah have mercy on him) | "This hadith establishes that the perfection of Islam requires ceasing all harm toward Muslims." — Al-Mufhim |
📌 Why is this Ḥadīth Fundamental?
| # | Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Redefinition of Muslim identity | Islam = peace for others |
| 2️⃣ | Link between faith and behavior | Faith manifests in relationships |
| 3️⃣ | Contemporary relevance | Era of cyberbullying and verbal violence |
| 4️⃣ | Measurable criterion | You can self-evaluate concretely |
| 5️⃣ | Dual dimension | Speech (tongue) + Action (hand) |
🔍 Linguistic Analysis
📜 Key Vocabulary
| Term | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| الْمُسْلِمُ | al-muslim | The Muslim [in his complete reality] |
| سَلِمَ | salima | To be safe, protected |
| لِسَانِهِ | lisānihi | His tongue (speech) |
| يَدِهِ | yadihi | His hand (physical actions) |
| الْمُهَاجِرُ | al-muhājir | The emigrant [spiritual] |
| هَجَرَ | hajara | Abandoned, left |
| نَهَى | nahā | Forbade |
📐 Grammatical Analysis
| Element | Analysis |
|---|---|
| الْمُسْلِمُ | Subject, nominative case (mubtada') |
| مَنْ سَلِمَ | Relative pronoun + past tense verb (khabar) |
| مِنْ لِسَانِهِ | Preposition + complement |
🔎 Linguistic Subtlety
The root س-ل-م (S-L-M) gives:
- مُسْلِم (muslim): one who submits to Allah
- سَلَام (salām): peace
- سَلِمَ (salima): to be safe
The Muslim is therefore one who brings peace to others, through their submission to Allah.
Why is "tongue" mentioned before "hand"?
Ibn Ḥajar explains:
"Because sins of the tongue are more frequent and more subtle. You can hurt someone without realizing it."
📚 Detailed Explanation
🔷 The Prophetic Definition of a Muslim
The Prophet ﷺ redefined the Muslim:
| Classical definition | Hadith's definition |
|---|---|
| "I pray, I fast" | "People are safe with me" |
| Self-focused | Impact-focused |
| Vertical (with Allah) | Horizontal (with people) |
Complete Islam = Worship of Allah + Preservation of others
🔷 The Dangers of the Tongue
The Prophet ﷺ said to Mu'ādh ibn Jabal:
« وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلاَّ حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ »
"Is it anything other than the harvest of their tongues that throws people into the Hellfire on their faces?"
— [Tirmidhī (2616)]
Sins of the Tongue
| Sin | Arabic | Description | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backbiting | غِيبَة | Speaking of an absent person what they would dislike | Major sin |
| Slander | نَمِيمَة | Reporting speech to create discord | Very serious |
| Defamation | بُهْتَان | Lying about someone | Worse than backbiting |
| Lying | كَذِب | Saying the opposite of truth | Forbidden |
| Insulting | سَبّ | Verbal abuse | Forbidden |
| Mockery | سُخْرِيَّة | Making fun of others | Forbidden |
| Vain talk | لَغْو | Useless speech | Disliked |
🔷 The Dangers of the Hand
| Action | Example |
|---|---|
| Hitting | Physical violence |
| Stealing | Taking what doesn't belong to you |
| Writing | Written defamation, false testimony |
| Destroying | Vandalism, damage |
| Obscene gestures | Insults by gestures |
🔷 Spiritual Emigration (Hijra)
The hadith adds: "The emigrant is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden."
| Physical Hijra | Spiritual Hijra |
|---|---|
| Leaving a place | Leaving sins |
| Geographic journey | Journey of the heart |
| Once in a lifetime | Every day |
The stages of spiritual Hijra:
| Stage | Action |
|---|---|
| 1️⃣ Identify | What are my recurring sins? |
| 2️⃣ Regret | Feel sincere remorse |
| 3️⃣ Stop | Cease immediately |
| 4️⃣ Resolve | Never return |
| 5️⃣ Repair | If possible, repair the harm |
🕌 Positions of the Madhāhib
| Madhhab | Position | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Ḥanafī | Harming others nullifies the reward of good deeds | Rad al-Muḥtār |
| 🟡 Mālikī | Backbiting is a major sin requiring repentance | Al-Mudawwanah |
| 🔵 Shāfi'ī | The tongue can destroy what deeds build | Al-Majmū' |
| 🟣 Ḥanbalī | Preserving others is an obligation | Al-Mughnī |
Consensus on Sins of the Tongue
| Sin | Ruling |
|---|---|
| Backbiting (ghība) | ⛔ Ḥarām by consensus |
| Slander (namīma) | ⛔ Ḥarām by consensus |
| Lying | ⛔ Ḥarām by consensus |
| Insulting | ⛔ Ḥarām by consensus |
📖 Supporting Evidence
From the Qurʾān
1. Prohibition of Backbiting
﴾ And do not backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it! ﴿
— [Al-Ḥujurāt: 12]
2. Good Words
﴾ And speak to people good words ﴿
— [Al-Baqarah: 83]
3. Prohibition of Mockery
﴾ O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule another people ﴿
— [Al-Ḥujurāt: 11]
From the Sunnah
The Golden Rule
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent."
— [Al-Bukhārī (6018), Muslim (47)]
The Weight of Words
"A man may speak a word without thinking about it, and he falls by it into the Hellfire farther than the distance between the East and West."
— [Al-Bukhārī (6477), Muslim (2988)]
The Guarantee of Paradise
"Whoever guarantees me what is between his jaws [the tongue] and what is between his legs [private parts], I guarantee him Paradise."
— [Al-Bukhārī (6474)]
�� Contemporary Applications
📱 The Tongue on Social Media
| Harmful behavior ❌ | Islamic behavior ✅ |
|---|---|
| Negative comments | Silence or be constructive |
| Backbiting in WhatsApp groups | Change the subject or leave |
| Sharing rumors | Verify before sharing |
| Public mockery | Abstain |
| Participating in "drama" | Ignore |
| Cyberbullying | Block, report, ignore |
💼 In the Workplace
| Situation | ❌ Harm | ✅ Islam |
|---|---|---|
| Conflict with a colleague | Backbiting about them | Address face to face |
| Colleague's mistake | Exposing them | Covering and helping them |
| Getting a promotion | Boasting | Thanking Allah privately |
| Boss criticism | Participating | Abstaining or defending |
🏠 In the Family
| Situation | ❌ Harm | ✅ Islam |
|---|---|---|
| Marital dispute | Hurtful words, violence | Patience, calm discussion |
| Criticizing in-laws | Backbiting | Silence or private advice |
| Raising children | Insults, humiliation | Constructive words |
| Conflict with neighbors | Yelling, insulting | Calm dialogue |
⚠️ Pitfalls to Avoid
🚨 Common Errors
| Error | Correction |
|---|---|
| "I'm telling the truth, it's not backbiting" | If they wouldn't like it → it's backbiting |
| "It's for the good of the community" | Only legitimate cases are allowed (advice, testimony) |
| "I'm criticizing the act, not the person" | If they can be identified → it's backbiting |
| "They deserve it" | No one deserves to be spoken about in their absence |
🔴 Cases Where Speaking is Permitted
| Situation | Condition |
|---|---|
| Advice (naṣīḥa) | Requested, private, well-intentioned |
| Testimony | Before a judge or authority |
| Warning | To protect someone from real danger |
| Legitimate complaint | To someone who can solve the problem |
| Self-identification | Saying "I am deaf" to inform |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
"If I tell the truth, is it backbiting?"
| Criterion | Answer |
|---|---|
| What you say is true AND they wouldn't like it | ✅ It is backbiting (ghība) |
| What you say is false | ⛔ It is defamation (buhtān) — worse |
| For a legitimate need | ✅ Permitted (advice, testimony, protection) |
"How do I protect my tongue?"
| Method | Application |
|---|---|
| Test before speaking | True? Useful? Right time? Kind? |
| Occupy the tongue with dhikr | Tasbīḥ, istighfār, Qurʾān |
| Avoid backbiting environments | Leave or change the subject |
| Remember the severity | Reread hadiths about the tongue |
"What about social media?"
| Principle | Application |
|---|---|
| Same rule | The keyboard is an extension of the tongue |
| More severe | Because it's written, shared, permanent |
| Anonymity ≠ permission | Allah sees everything |
🎯 Practical Action Plan
📌 Weekly Challenge
24 hours without negative speech:
| Day | Objective |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | No backbiting |
| Day 2 | No criticism |
| Day 3 | No complaining |
| Day 4 | No insults or mockery |
| Day 5 | Silence on social media |
| Day 6 | Only positivity |
| Day 7 | Evaluation: Are people safe with me? |
📝 Daily Self-Evaluation
Each evening, ask yourself:
| Question | ✅ / ❌ |
|---|---|
| Did I speak ill of someone today? | |
| Did I hurt someone with my words? | |
| Did I participate in a harmful conversation? | |
| Did I make an aggressive or disrespectful gesture? | |
| Were people safe with me? |
📝 Du'ā' of Protection
« اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ سَمْعِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ بَصَرِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ لِسَانِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ قَلْبِي »
"O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of my hearing, from the evil of my sight, from the evil of my tongue, and from the evil of my heart."
— [Abū Dāwūd (1551)]
📝 Summary of Key Points
| # | Point |
|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | The true Muslim: others are safe from them |
| 2️⃣ | The tongue and hand are the main tools of harm |
| 3️⃣ | Sins of the tongue are more frequent and more subtle |
| 4️⃣ | The true hijra is abandoning sins |
| 5️⃣ | Golden rule: speak good or remain silent |
| 6️⃣ | Social media is an extension of the tongue and hand |
📚 Sources and References
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī | Imam al-Bukhārī |
| Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim | Imam Muslim |
| Jāmi' al-'Ulūm wal-Ḥikam | Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī |
| Fatḥ al-Bārī | Ibn Ḥajar al-'Asqalānī |
| Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim | Imam an-Nawawī |
| Al-Adhkār | Imam an-Nawawī |
And Allah knows best
"O Allah, make us among those from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe."
اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْ أَلْسِنَتَنَا وَأَيْدِيَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ