Speak well and guard your tongue
“If you say something beautiful you'll make somebody's day.”
Muslims should resist moral decline by disciplining their speech, speaking what is best, avoiding harmful language, and cultivating hearts shaped by the Quran and Sunnah.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Opens with calls for taqwa and prayers for Palestine, global peace, justice, and a sick community member.
- Introduces the downfall of morality and normalization of evil through the specific issue of controlling the tongue.
- Uses conference, community, gaming, family, and workplace stories to show foul language becoming normalized or automatic.
- Presents Quranic and Prophetic guidance to speak well, remain silent when necessary, and avoid slander, cursing, and shamelessness.
- Applies the guidance to slang, cultural language, ridicule, insults, and hurtful nicknames without lowering Islamic standards.
- Concludes with warnings about the consequences of words and supplications for faith, kindness, justice, and protection from immorality.
In the khateeb's words
“How do we control our tongue? How do we make sure that, you know, we speak the way the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam taught us to speak?”
“he said brother I tried so hard it just comes automatically it comes automatically without him noticing without him knowing”
“language is very powerful subhanallah if you say something beautiful you'll make somebody's day you smile you'll make someone's day”
“do not insult one another do not call each other names”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah reminded us that moral decline can show up in something as ordinary as the way we speak. The khateeb urged us to follow the Quran and the Prophet by choosing good words and staying quiet when our words would hurt or bring no benefit. He explained that speech habits can become automatic, so we need to notice them and practice changing them. He also warned against ridicule, insults, foul language, and nicknames that people dislike. As a family, we can encourage one another to speak kindly and make dua for people facing suffering and illness.
- What is one kind sentence you could say to someone this week?
- Which speech habit would you like to practice changing?
- How can we tell when a joke or nickname has become hurtful?
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