Kind and Pleasant Speech is Charity

Authored by: Shaykh Hafiz Abdul Sattar Al-Hammad (Hafizahullah)

Hadith on Kind Speech:

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
"Kind and pleasant speech is also a form of charity."
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Jihad, Hadith 2989]

Benefits and Insights:

  1. Kindness Brings Joy:
    Speaking to someone with kind and sweet words brings joy to their heart. Making another person happy is undoubtedly a great act of virtue and an immense form of charity.
  2. Emphasis on Pleasant Speech:
    The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) frequently emphasized the importance of speaking gently and kindly. He also strongly discouraged harshness and rude speech.
  3. Responding to Hostility with Kindness:
    The Prophet (ﷺ) demonstrated a high standard of patience and forbearance. For instance:
    Some ill-mannered Jews once greeted the Prophet (ﷺ) by saying "As-Saam Alaikum" (meaning "May death be upon you"). Sayyidah Aisha (رضی اللہ عنہا), angered by their rudeness, responded:
    "May death, Allah’s curse, and His wrath be upon you!"
    The Prophet (ﷺ) calmly advised her:
    "Aisha, control your tongue. Be gentle and avoid harshness or abusive language."
    [Sahih Bukhari, Book of Jihad, Hadith 6024]
  4. Character of a Believer:
    The Prophet (ﷺ) described the traits of a believer:
    "A believer is not someone who verbally abuses others, curses them, uses obscene language, or speaks rudely."
    [Tirmidhi, Book of Birr and Sila, Hadith 1977]
Harsh and abusive language is so disliked that it has been described as a characteristic of hypocrisy:
"In moments of conflict, resorting to abusive language is a sign of hypocrisy."
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Faith, Hadith 34]

Key Lessons:

  1. Win Hearts Through Kindness:
    Gentle and pleasant speech helps to win people’s hearts and strengthens relationships.
  2. Avoid Harshness:
    Harsh and rude language drives people away and causes division. A believer should strive to maintain a demeanor of kindness and humility in speech.
  3. Reflect the Sunnah:
    Following the example of the Prophet (ﷺ), believers should speak kindly even in the face of rudeness or hostility.

Conclusion:

Kind and pleasant words have the power to heal hearts, foster love, and establish unity. As a form of charity, it costs nothing yet carries immense rewards. Harshness and rude speech, on the other hand, can alienate people and harm relationships. Let us adopt the noble example of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by making kind speech our habit.

Allah knows best.
 
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