The Word in the Scales of Islam
Watch Your Tongue! Say Good or Remain Silent

The Beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "One has no sound faith unless one has a straight heart; one has no straight heart unless one has a straight tongue."![1] Wherefore "When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all of his body parts bow to the tongue and say: 'Fear Allah regarding us, we are only part of you. If you are straight we are straight, and if you are crooked we are crooked."[2]

Nowadays you may have heard the phrase many people use "it is just a word", this phrase is widespread in different cultures (i.e. there is a famous proverb "Deeds not words" which it may be understood as if the words are worthless), unfortunately such phrases and proverbs determined how many people look at what comes out of their mouths as if it is not accounted!. What would account if words did not?! In fact, words and what are uttered are deeds in some way. Islamically one becomes a Muslim by a "word"; on the other hand he/she leaves the fold of Islam by a "word".

 

It is common knowledge that Islam emphasizes guarding and maintaining man tongue from being used to deliver bad words. Of course Islam emphasizes also using good words, because whatever one said is recorded whether for or against him/her, Allah Almighty said,

ﭿ ﭪ  ﭫ  ﭬ  ﭭ  ﭮ    ﭯ  ﭰ  ﭱ  ﭲ  ﭾ (سورة ق: ١٨)

“Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).”[50:18]

The most famous Hadith regarding watching one’s tongue shows that maintaining tongue is a touchstone of orthodox belief,

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ،...»

 

On the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good things or keep silent…[3]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized this meaning when he was asked,

قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ فُلَانَةَ تَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَتَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَتُؤْذِي جِيرَانَهَا بِلِسَانِهَا، قَالَ: «لَا خَيْرَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ فِي النَّارِ» ، وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ فُلَانَةَ تُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ وَتَصَدَّقُ بِأُثْوَارٍ مِنْ أَقِطٍ وَلَا تُؤْذِي أَحَدًا بِلِسَانِهَا، قَالَ: «هِيَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ».

 “O Messenger of Allah, such-and-such a woman spends her nights in prayer, fasts during the day, and so on, and she gives charity, but she harms her neighbors with her tongue.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:  Her good deeds will be of no avail: she is among the people of Hell.” They said ´And so and so prays only the obligatory prayers, gives charity in the form of leftover curds (gives bits of curd), but does not harm anyone with her tongue.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ´She is among the people of Paradise.’[4]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) further elaborated on this concept saying,

«إِنَّ العَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالكَلِمَةِ مِنْ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ، لاَ يُلْقِي لَهَا بَالًا، يَرْفَعُهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَاتٍ، وَإِنَّ العَبْدَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالكَلِمَةِ مِنْ سَخَطِ اللَّهِ، لاَ يُلْقِي لَهَا بَالًا، يَهْوِي بِهَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ»

"A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah, without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah, without thinking of its gravity, and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-fire."[5]

Glorious Qur'an -the revealed word of Allah- gave an example of people, who spoke words that may lead them to the Hellfire,

ﭧ ﭨﭽﮃ  ﮄ   ﮅ  ﮆ  ﮇ  ﮈ  ﮉﮊ  ﮋ  ﮌ  ﮍ   ﮎ  ﮏ  ﮐﮑ ﮒ  ﮓ  ﮔ  ﮕ    ﮖ  ﮗﮘ  ﮙ  ﮚ  ﮛ  ﮜ  ﮝ  ﮞ  ﮟ   ﮠ  ﮡ  ﮢ  ﮣ ﭼ التوبة: ٦٥ – ٦٦

“If you ask them (about what they said), they declare: "We were only talking idly and joking. ''Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayaat and His Messenger that you were mocking!'' [9:65] Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others among you because they were criminals. [9:66]”

Abdullah Ibn Umar said, "During the battle of Tabuk, a man was sitting in a gathering and said, `I have never seen like these reciters of ours! They have the hungriest stomachs, the most lying tongues and are the most cowardice in battle.' A man in the Masjid said, `You lie, rather, you are a hypocrite, and I will surely inform the Messenger of Allah.' This statement was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah and also a part of the Qur'an was revealed about it.'''

Abdullah bin Umar said, "I have seen that man afterward holding onto the shoulders of the Messenger's camel while stones were falling on him, declaring, `O Allah's Messenger! We were only engaged in idle talk and jesting,' while the Messenger of Allah was reciting, 'Was it at Allah, and His Ayaat and His Messenger that you were mocking.'' 'Allah said, Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed. On account of your statement and mocking, If We pardon some of you, We will punish others among you, for not all of you will be forgiven, some will have to taste the torment, because they were criminals.”[6]

 The honorable prophetic Sunnah gave an example of one, who spoke words that led him to the Hellfire,

قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " كَانَ رَجُلَانِ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُتَوَاخِيَيْنِ، فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا يُذْنِبُ، وَالْآخَرُ مُجْتَهِدٌ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ، فَكَانَ لَا يَزَالُ الْمُجْتَهِدُ يَرَى الْآخَرَ عَلَى الذَّنْبِ فَيَقُولُ: أَقْصِرْ، فَوَجَدَهُ يَوْمًا عَلَى ذَنْبٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَقْصِرْ، فَقَالَ: خَلِّنِي وَرَبِّي أَبُعِثْتَ عَلَيَّ رَقِيبًا؟ فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَا يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكَ، أَوْ لَا يُدْخِلُكَ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ، فَقَبَضَ أَرْوَاحَهُمَا، فَاجْتَمَعَا عِنْدَ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَقَالَ لِهَذَا الْمُجْتَهِدِ: أَكُنْتَ بِي عَالِمًا، أَوْ كُنْتَ عَلَى مَا فِي يَدِي قَادِرًا؟ وَقَالَ لِلْمُذْنِبِ: اذْهَبْ فَادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِي، وَقَالَ لِلْآخَرِ: اذْهَبُوا بِهِ إِلَى النَّارِ " قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ أَوْبَقَتْ دُنْيَاهُ وَآخِرَتَهُ

 Abu Hurairah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'Two men among the Children of Israel were the opposite of one another. One of them used to sin, and the other used to strive hard in worship. The one who was striving (in worship) used to see the other one sinning, and he would say: "Refrain from it." One day, he found him sinning, and he said to him: "Refrain from it." He said: "Leave me alone, by my Lord. Have you been sent as a watchman over me?" He said: "By Allah, Allah will not forgive you, nor admit you to Paradise." Then their souls were taken away (in death), and they met before the Lord of the Worlds. He said to the one who used to strive (in worship): "Did you have knowledge of Me, or did you have power over that which is in My Hand?" And He said to the sinner: "Go and enter Paradise, by My Mercy." And He said to the other: "Take him to the Fire." Abu Hurairah said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he spoke a word by which his prospects in this world and in the Hereafter were doomed."[7]

Therefore, the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept warning his companions from the misuse of the tongue and encouraged them to studiously guard it against misuse .

عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الثَّقَفِيِّ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ حَدِّثْنِي بِأَمْرٍ أَعْتَصِمُ بِهِ، قَالَ: «قُلْ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ» ، قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَخْوَفُ مَا تَخَافُ عَلَيَّ، فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِ نَفْسِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «هَذَا».

 

Sufyan Ibn 'Abdullãh Ath-Thaqafi said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Inform me about a matter that I may hold fast to.' He said: 'Say: My Lord is Allah, then be steadfast.' I said: O Messenger of Allah! What do you fear most for me?" So he took hold of his tongue and said: This."[8]

وَعَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي سَفَرٍ، فَأَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمًا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ، وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ، قَالَ: «لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَظِيمًا، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ، … ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِمِلَاكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ؟» قُلْتُ: بَلَى، فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ، فَقَالَ: «تَكُفُّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا» قُلْتُ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ قَالَ: «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ وَهَلْ يُكِبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ فِي النَّارِ، إِلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟»

 

On the authority of Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me away from the Hellfire.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “You have asked me about a great matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah makes it easy: …Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Shall I not tell you of the foundation of all of that?” I said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” So he took hold of his tongue and said, “Restrain this. “I said, “O Prophet of Allah, will we be taken to account for what we say with it?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Muaadh! Is there anything that throws people into the Hellfire upon their faces — or: on their noses — except the harvests of their tongues?”[9]

 

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: اشْتَكَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ شَكْوَى لَهُ، فَأَتَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعُودُهُ مَعَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ، وَسَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، وَعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَدَهُ فِي غَشِيَّةٍ، فَقَالَ: «أَقَدْ قَضَى؟» قَالُوا: لَا، يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَبَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَوْمُ بُكَاءَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَكَوْا، فَقَالَ: «أَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ؟ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُعَذِّبُ بِدَمْعِ الْعَيْنِ، وَلَا بِحُزْنِ الْقَلْبِ، وَلَكِنْ يُعَذِّبُ بِهَذَا - وَأَشَارَ إِلَى لِسَانِهِ - أَوْ يَرْحَمُ»

 

It was narrated that 'Abdullâh Ibn 'Umar said: "Sa'd Ibn 'Ubâdah fell sick and the Messenger of Allah came to visit him with 'Abdur-Rahmân Ibn 'Awf, Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqâs and 'Abdullâh Ibn Mas'üd. When he entered upon him, he found him unconscious and he said: 'Has he died?' They said: 'No, O Messenger of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah wept, and when the people saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) weeping, they also wept. He said: 'Have you not heard? Allah does not punish for shedding tears or the grief of the heart, rather He punishes for this' - and he pointed to his tongue - 'or shows mercy (because of it)."[10]

 

When the companions knew the threat warning against misusing the tongue and realize how dangerous it could be what is coming out of mouth, they tried their best to avoid any bad effect of misusing the tongue , and used to ask the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for advices regarding this,

عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ: كَانَ فِي لِسَانِي ذَرَبٌ عَلَى أَهْلِي، وَكَانَ لَا يَعْدُوهُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ، فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «أَيْنَ أَنْتَ مِنَ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ، تَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ فِي الْيَوْمِ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً»

 

It was narrated that Hudhayfah said: "I was harsh in the way I spoke to my family, but not to others. I mentioned that to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he said: 'Why don't you ask for forgiveness? Ask Allah to forgive you, seventy times each day."'[11]

 

Allah Almighty also blamed Muslims who say that, which they do not do,

ﭧ ﭨ ﭽﮛ  ﮜ  ﮝ  ﮞ     ﮟ  ﮠ  ﮡ  ﮢ  ﮣ   ﮤ    ﮥ  ﮦ  ﮧ  ﮨ  ﮩ  ﮪ  ﮫ  ﮬ  ﮭ  ﭼ (الصف: ٢ - ٣)

“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do.” [61:2-3]

The importance of words not only applied to one’s speech, but it is also all-important to be careful of what other people said while we are in presence, as we will be taken to account for what we heard if we did not take the proper reaction; (the Qur’an gave an example for this proper reaction- i.e. leaving the place where such talk took place), for Allah (SWT) order his beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

 

ﭽﯷ  ﯸ  ﯹ  ﯺ  ﯻ     ﯼ  ﯽ  ﯾ  ﯿ  ﰀ  ﰁ  ﰂ  ﰃﰄ  ﰅ  ﰆ   ﰇ  ﰈ  ﰉ  ﰊ  ﰋ  ﰌ  ﰍ   ﰎ  ﰏﭼ الأنعام: ٦٨

 

 “And when you see those who engage in false (offensive) conversation about Our verses (of the Qur'an) by mocking at them, turn away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Satan causes you to forget, then after the remembrance, sit not you in the company of those people who are the wrongdoers.”[6:68]

In his commentary on the similar verse, Tabarani mentioned this narration in Mu'jam Al-Kabeer: when this verse revealed “If you ask them (about what they said), they declare: "We were only talking idly and joking. ''Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayaat and His Messenger that you were mocking!'' [9:65] a man who had listen to those people (i.e. those who were mentioned in the verse ) despite he was not one of them came to the prophet and held the feet of the Messenger apologizing saying, “O Allah's Messenger! I had never engaged (in their conversation) I only listened to what they said.” While the Messenger of Allah was riding his camel, the man remained in that state (holding the feet of the Messenger apologizing while walking with the Messenger oh Allah) until his feet was bleeding…^[12]

Try to visualize a scene of a man striving in his apologizing until his feet bled! While the prophet ignored him, he showed him that he was displeased with what he had done. All of this was because he just listen to what was not pleasing Allah, the Exalted, but he did not turn a hair. Finally, you will recognize how it is considered a big sin in Islam to commit such deeds. In another verse, Allah, the Almighty, warned those who indulge in listening to what didn't please Him by combining them with disbelievers and hypocrites,

ﭧ ﭨ ﭽﯦ  ﯧ  ﯨ  ﯩ   ﯪ  ﯫ  ﯬ  ﯭ  ﯮ  ﯯ  ﯰ  ﯱ  ﯲ    ﯳ  ﯴ   ﯵ  ﯶ  ﯷ  ﯸ  ﯹ  ﯺ  ﯻﯼ  ﯽ  ﯾ  ﯿﰀ   ﰁ  ﰂ  ﰃ  ﰄ  ﰅ  ﰆ  ﰇ  ﰈ  ﰉ ﭼ النساء: ١٤٠

“And it has already been revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in talk other than that;  certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell.”[4:140]

 

'If you kept sitting in such a gathering where the Word of Allah is being rejected or ridiculed or distorted, quite unruffled, almost willingly, then, you too; by becoming an accomplice in their sin, have become like them.' The sense of 'having become like them' can be explained either as: 'God forbid, if your own thoughts and feelings are such that you show your liking for and are satisfied with their expressions of disbelief, then, in reality, you too are a disbeliever (Kafir), because liking Kufr is nothing but kufr.' Otherwise, if that is not the case, 'being like them' would mean: 'By your participation in the activity of those who are busy hurting Islam and Muslims through their falsification of the Faith, you too, by your abetment of their conspiracy, have become, God forbid, like them.[13]

Therefore, the Glorious Qur'an mentioned the responsibility of hearing as the first thing which man will be accounted for in this world and in the hereafter.

ﭧ ﭨﭽ ﯯ  ﯰ  ﯱ  ﯲ  ﯳ  ﯴ  ﯵﯶ   ﯷ  ﯸ  ﯹ   ﯺ  ﯻ    ﯼ  ﯽ          ﯾ  ﯿ  ﰀ   ﭼ الإسراء: ٣٦

“And follow not that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allah).”[17:36]

 

Allah, the Almighty, consequently described in Qur’an -the Glorious book of Allah- the true believers many times with the following quality…

ﭧ ﭨ ﭽ ﭛ  ﭜ  ﭝ  ﭞ      ﭟ  ﭠ  ﭼ المؤمنون: ٣

“And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (vain talk).”[23:3]

ﭽﮎ  ﮏ  ﮐ    ﮑ   ﮒ  ﮓ  ﮔ      ﮕ  ﮖ  ﮗ  ﭼ الفرقان: ٧٢

“And those who do not bear witness to falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.”[25:72]

ﭽﭿ  ﮀ  ﮁ      ﮂ  ﮃ  ﮄ  ﮅ  ﮆ  ﮇ  ﮈ  ﮉ  ﮊ   ﮋ  ﮌ  ﮍ  ﮎ  ﭼ القصص: ٥٥

“And when they hear evil vain talk, they withdraw from it and say: "To us our deeds, and to you your deeds. Peace be to you. We seek not (the way of) the ignorant.”[28:55]

…and if they obey Allah’s The Exalted commandments and pay heed only to what is pleasing Him, He gave them glad tiding

ﭧ ﭨ ﭽ ﮦ  ﮧ    ﮨ  ﮩ  ﮪ  ﮫ  ﮬ  ﮭﮮ   ﮯ  ﮰ  ﮱ  ﯓﯔ  ﯕ  ﯖ  ﯗ  ﯘ  ﯙ   ﭼ الزمر: ١٧ - ١٨

On the other hand Allah, The Exalted, described the disbelievers that they are

ﭧ ﭨ ﭽ ﭑ  ﭒ  ﭼ المائدة: ٤٢

“Listen much and eagerly to lies… [5:41] they (like to) listen to falsehood…” [5:42]

 

Their listening to falsehood is repeated again, to suggest that this has become an established habit of theirs. They are pleased to listen to falsehood, and they are annoyed when they hear the voice of truth. This applies to all deviant hearts, corrupt souls, and communities. To them, falsehood carries much appeal and the truth appears too hard. In these miserable days, falsehood sells like hot cakes, while the word of truth has no buyers.[14]

On the Day of Judgment when the people of the Hell will be asked about the causes of them to be where they are, they will mention many reasons. One of them is that…

ﭽ ﰦ  ﰧ  ﰨ   ﰩ     ﰪ  ﭼ المدثر: ٤٥

“We used to speak falsehood with vain speakers” [74:45]

Allah, the Almighty, elevates the level of avoiding any kind of bad words (by saying or listening to them) to reach the boundary of just preparing it inside oneself, Allah, The Exalted, told us about those people,

ﭧ ﭨ ﭽ ﭪ  ﭫ  ﭬ  ﭭ  ﭮ   ﭯ  ﭰ  ﭱ  ﭲ  ﭳ  ﭴ  ﭵ  ﭶ  ﭷ  ﭸ  ﭹﭺ  ﭻ   ﭼ  ﭽ  ﭾ  ﭿ  ﮀ  ﭼ النساء: ١٠٨

“They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah; for He is with them (by His knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He does not approve.”[4:108]

Chastise the hypocrites because they hide their evil works from people so that they will not criticize them. Yet, the hypocrites disclose this evil with Allah, Who has perfect watch over their secrets and knows what is in their hearts.[15] He told them that as threatening and warning for their trying to hide and run away with their bad words which they prepared secretly.

 

Finally: why does Islam concentrate that much on “words” and commands its followers to weight every single word that comes out of their mouth with sensitive scale? The answer is in everything which was mentioned above and is summed up in the following Hadith,

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: " أَكْثَرُ خَطَايَا ابنِ آدَمَ فِي لِسَانِهِ "

 

Most of the sins committed by the son of Adam are sins of the tongue.[16]