37. Guard Your Tongue
We have all said things we wish we could take back. The Qur’an says that one day our tongue will bear witness against us,
“On the day when their tongues, and their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them for what they used to do”. (Qur’an; 24:24)1
We should know that when we guard our tongue, we keep our life. Our words determine the direction of our lives, and wrong words can get us off course very quickly. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. There is no neutral ground. We are either sowing seeds of life and productivity with our words, or we are sowing seeds of ruin and destruction with our words.
Because of this, Qur’an warns us to guard our tongue:
“O you who have faith! Why do you say what you do not do? It is greatly outrageous to God that you should say what you do not do”. (Qur’an; 61: 2-3)2
In another verse says,
“Woe unto every backbiter, slanderer”. (Qur’an; 104:1)3
“Do not backbite one another. Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And be wary of God; indeed God is all-clement, all-merciful”. (Qur’an; 49:12)4
Today is a good day to take inventory of your words and make the decision to sow only good seeds. Sow seeds of life by speaking God’s Word over yourself and those around you. Make the decision today that your words will bring glory to the Lord as you guard your tongue and keep your life! Give Almighty God your every thought, word, and action. Ask Him to help you to live a life pleasing to your lord in every way. Ask Him to help you to guard your tongue and keep your life moving forward in a godly direction.
Remember, your life will go in the direction of your thoughts and you have to choose right thoughts. The easiest way to change your thoughts is by speaking God’s Words. When you say “apple,” you probably would not start thinking about an “orange”. In the same way, when you confess the Words of God, it will drive those negative, defeated thoughts away! Today decide to
“recite as much of the Qur’an as is feasible”, (Qur’an; 73:20)5 and to
“recite the Qur’an in a measured tone”. (Qur’an; 73:4)6
Change your mind today by changing your words so you can move forward into the abundant life He has in store for you!
- 1. .
يَوْمَ تَشهَْدُ عَلَيهِْمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كاَنُواْ يَعْمَلُون . - 2. .
يَأَيهَُّا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ. كَبرَُ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُون . - 3. .
وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَة . - 4. .
وَ لَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَ يحُِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَ اتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيم. - 5. .
فَاقْرَءُواْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْءَان . - 6. .
وَ رَتِّلِ الْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلا.