Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Bismillahir- Rahmanir-Rahim

1. Opening

We often assume that the throne of wisdom is built upon the roar of applause or the brilliance of rhetoric. Yet, in the architecture of a tranquil soul, the very first brick of wisdom is laid upon the foundation of silence. Psychologically and spiritually, a person who diligently guards his tongue possesses extraordinary emotional control. He is not dictated by circumstances; instead, he controls circumstances through a mature pause for thought.When a person can restrain the urge to always comment, his inner energy is focused on depth of thinking. He produces words that are concise, dense, and rich in meaning—not mere foam that is noisy yet empty.

Allah Subḥānahu wa Taʿālā says:

يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.”[QS. Al-Baqarah: 269]

Rasulullah ﷺ also gave a golden guideline that serves as a mark of a person’s faith-credibility through his ability to control his tongue:

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.”[HR. Bukhārī and Muslim]

2. Lessons and Message

The greatest moral lesson from controlling the tongue is that our speech is an absolute part of our deeds. Every word that leaves the lips is not just passing wind; it has weight on the scales, it can be a medicine that heals or a dagger that tears another’s heart. Guarding the tongue is the highest form of respect for oneself and others.

Let us pause to reflect. How many family ties have been broken, how many decades-long friendships have shattered, and how many parents’ hearts have been cut deep, just because of one sentence uttered without prior thought?It is truly saddening to see today’s digital spaces, where thumbs and tongues move faster than sound reason. We witness tears spilled and a person’s honor collapse in an instant simply because of our inability to choose silence. Words that have already come out can never be pulled back; they leave inner wounds that are often carried to the grave.

Imagine our words as arrows. As long as the arrow remains on the bow—in the silence of our mind—we are its full master. We are free to decide when and where it will be released. But once the bowstring is let go and the arrow flies, we no longer have power over it. It will fly, strike, and wound whatever lies ahead. A wise person is a marksman who is very frugal in releasing arrows; he only releases them when certain the target is goodness.

There is an amusing story. One day, a man known for being talkative and speaking aimlessly came to a wise scholar. The man talked nonstop for an hour, showing off his shallow knowledge. After he ran out of breath, he asked, “O Shaykh, what do you think of everything I said?”The scholar smiled kindly and answered softly, “I deeply admire two things about you.” The talkative man immediately swelled with pride and asked, “What are they, Shaykh?” The scholar replied, “First, the extraordinary strength of your jaw muscles. Second, your ability to speak for so long without tiring your brain by thinking.”The jab was subtle, but its meaning hit home: Speaking without knowledge only tires the body, yet is bankrupt in value before Allah and people.

3. Conclusion and Closing

Brothers and sisters who are blessed, in conclusion, let us remember that the earliest sign of wisdom present in a servant is his preference for silence. Silence is not weakness; it is the waiting room for sound reason and faith before giving birth to weighty words. A person whose knowledge is credible will weigh his speech on the scales of the Hereafter.

May Allah Subḥānahu wa Taʿālā adorn our souls with wisdom, soften our hearts, and guide our tongues to produce only words that bring His pleasure. If there is no good we can say, then let silence be our best act of worship today

. والله أعلم بالصواب

الحمد لله رب العالمين

Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Abu Sultan Al-Qadrie