Guard your tongue and speak with care
“The way to keep your tongue the safest, away from any harmful speech, is to keep it moist with dhikr.”
Because speech is a powerful trust accountable before Allah, Muslims should keep their tongues upright by controlling speech, treating others kindly, responding to attacks through Qur'an and Sunnah, and practicing their own advice.
The khutbah in 4 steps
- The tongue is a powerful blessing whose every utterance is recorded.
- Believers should speak beneficially or remain silent and protect others from verbal harm.
- Muslims should examine themselves before advising others.
- Listeners should seek forgiveness, begin improving speech at home, uphold justice, and maintain dhikr.
In the khateeb's words
“our Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentions here that if you believe in Allah, to have that belief in Allah in the day of judgment is to either speak good, bring benefit to a conversation, bring benefit to a human being.”
“That we should not make the responses personal. When they personally attack us, it doesn't give us enough reason to defend ourselves.”
“And so, start at home. Start being aware of what you say on how you deal with your family members.”
“And lastly, the way to keep your tongue the safest, away from any harmful speech, is to keep it moist with dhikr. With the easiest sayings, La ilaha illallah, subhanallah, astaghfirullah.”
For the dinner table
The khutbah teaches that the tongue is a powerful blessing and every utterance matters. The speaker gives three ways to keep it upright: control it, use it kindly, and follow our own advice before correcting others. Through examples from the Prophet's life, he urges us not to make personal attacks the center of our response, while grounding necessary defense of faith in the Qur'an and Sunnah. He asks us to seek forgiveness, begin at home, uphold justice for oppressed people, and keep the tongue busy with dhikr.
- What is one helpful thing you could say this week instead of a hurtful comment?
- How can we practice better speech with our family?
- Which dhikr would you like to remember during the day?
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