Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna ‘Ubādah bin Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out on his mount and the noble Companions were walking ahead of him. Sayyiduna Mu‘ādh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Prophet of Allah! Will you allow me, willingly, to come close to you?” He (peace be upon him) said: “Yes.” Sayyiduna Mu‘ādh came close to him and both walked together. While walking, Sayyiduna Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah! May my father be sacrificed for you, I ask Allah Almighty that the time of my death comes before your passing. What do you think, if (contrary to this) something else happens, then what deeds should we do after you? However, at present, no sign of this is visible.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) remained silent. I said: “Jihād in the way of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Jihād is indeed the best deed, and what people possess is even more protective of good deeds than this.” I said: “Are they fasting and charity?” He (peace be upon him) said: “Fasting and charity are the best of deeds.” Sayyiduna Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned every good deed of the son of Adam. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is something even better among the people than this.” Sayyiduna Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “May my parents be sacrificed for you, what is better than all these (deeds)?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) pointed towards his blessed mouth and said: “To remain silent except for matters of goodness and virtue.” He (Mu‘ādh) said: “Will we be held accountable for what we speak with our tongues?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) struck Mu‘ādh’s thigh and said: “May your mother lose you! It is the utterances of the tongues that will throw people on their faces into Hellfire. Therefore, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or else remain silent from (other) evil things. (O people!) Speak good words, you will gain benefit, and refrain from bad words, you will remain safe.”