Author: Mohajer Azizi
Personable Muslim (14th part)
Talkativeness and its consequences on Muslim personality
The religion of Islam is a religion of moderation and equality, and it requires its followers to adopt balance and moderation in every issue and stage of life and to stay away from extremes. One of the important things that dear Islam recommends being balanced and forbids its excess is speaking. Speaking is one of the important characteristics of a human being, which is also mentioned in the Qur’an: «خلق الانسان , علّمه البیان» (Allah created man. He taught him to speak.)
Speaking is one of the great blessings of Allah that has been given to human. Speaking has two “positive and negative” dimensions: the positive dimension means that a person should use his language for good things that benefit his world and the hereafter. The negative side, that is, use it in cases where it is unnecessary and pointless and has no religious or worldly benefit.
Basically, one of the signs of a wise and personable person is that he doesn’t talk unnecessarily; Because speaking expresses the level of human intellect as one of the reasons for the salvation and success of man is said in the Qur’an to avoid verbiage and nonsense. The Lord of the Universe says: «والذین هم عن اللغو معرضون». (And those who turn away from [deeds and words] in vain.)
Also, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, says: «مَنْ كَانَ یؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْیوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْیقُلْ خَیرًا أَوْ لِیصْمُتْ» (A person who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection should speak good words or remain silent.)
Imam Yusuf Qarazawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says: “Talking makes a person make many mistakes. Speech has many pitfalls. Imam al-Ghazali has cited twenty cases of it, including lying, backbiting, giving false testimony, swearing unjustly, exposing people’s secrets, speaking needlessly, mocking, among others.”
This is why it has been said since ancient times: “If speaking is silver, silence is gold.” And they have also said: “You are the owner of your words and the words of your slave, but if the word comes out of your mouth, you will become its owner and slave; In this way, a person should not be talkative.
