Exerting Efforts towards Accomplishing Sincere Righteous Actions (3/5)

2. Actions of the Tongue

As for actions of the tongue like the remembrance of Allah, praising and commending Him, reading His Book, sending salah and salaam upon His Messenger, ordering the good, forbidding the evil, tasbeeh, seeking forgiveness, supplication and other actions that are performed by use of the tongue, without doubt, performing such actions, on a regular basis and often is one of the greatest causes for the increase of Iman.

Shaykh Ibn as-Sa'dee, may Allah have mercy upon him, says: “One of the causes that procures Iman is to greater the remembrance of  Allah  at  all  times  and  to  also supplicate much, which is the core of worship.

Remembrance of Allah implants the tree of Iman in the heart.  It nourishes and develops it.  The  more the  servant increases  in  his  remembrance  of  Allah,  the  stronger  his Iman will become.

Just as Iman calls to much remembrance, whoever loves Allah will mention Him much[1]. Indeed, love of Allah is Iman, or rather, it is its spirit.[2]

Ibn al-Qayyim mentions in his book al-Waabil as-Sayyib that remembrance has a hundred benefits. He listed seventy-three of   these   benefits [3], such   as   that   remembrance repels Shaytaan. It pleases the Most Beneficent, causes depression and anxiety to disappear and brings joy and happiness. It strengthens the heart and body, illuminates the face and heart, and brings about sustenance and many other tremendous benefits that he mentioned, may Allah have mercy upon him, which are attained because of the remembrance of Allah. Undoubtedly, the greatest and most beneficial benefit in the remembrance of Allah is the fact that it increases Iman, strengthens it and stabilizes it. Accordingly, a number of texts are related 'in the Book and Sunnah, which command and encourage the remembrance of Allah. They beckon for its increase and show its excellence and importance.

Allah says: “... and remember Allah much so that you may suc- ceed.”[4]

Allah says: “...and (for) men and women who remember Allah much, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.”[5]

Allah says: “Indeed, the believers are none other than those whom when Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble with fear…”[6]

Allah says: “...Verily, it is in the remembrance of Allah that the hearts (truly) attain tranquility.”[7]

As recorded in Saheeh Muslim, Aboo Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reports: “The Messenger of Allah was on his way to Makkah when he  passed by  a  mountain known as jumdaan. He said, “Travel through, this is Jumdaan: the mufarridoon have excelled.” Someone asked, 'Who are the mufarridoon O Messenger of Allah?' He replied, “Men and women who remember Allah much.[8]”

Aboo Dardaa', may Allah be pleased with him, relates the Prophet saying: “Should I not inform you of the best of your deeds, the most sanctifying of them before your Lord and which does more to raise your status with Him. (A deed,) that is better for you than the disbursement of gold and money, or battle with the enemy whereby you strike at their necks and they strike at yours?" They said: "What is it O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: “Remembrance of Allah.[9]”

'Abdullah Ibn Busr mentioned that a man said to the Prophet: “O Messenger of Allah, the rites of Iman are much for me, so tell me of something that I might hold fast to.” He answered: “Let not your tongue cease from the remembrance of Allah.[10]”

Recorded in the Saheehayn is the hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, in which he reports the Messenger of Allah as saying: “Allah says, ‘Indeed I am as My servant presumes Me to be and I am with him when he remembers Me. So if he remembers Me to himself I remember him to Myself and if he remembers Me amongst a company, I remember him amongst a company that is better than them...[11]” Many other texts are likewise indicative of the excellence and importance of remembrance and of the virtue of engaging in it.

Consequently, if a person turns away from all of this and does not engage his tongue with remembrance of Allah, his tongue will be engrossed with matters besides it such as backbiting, slander, mockery, lies and obscene language. This is because the slave cannot but speak. Thus, if he does not speak with the remembrance of Allah and of His commands, he will speak of these things.

Ibn al-Qayyim says: "For the tongue does not keep quiet at all. It is either a tongue that remembers or a tongue that is frivolous and it has to be one of these two.

It is the (nature of the) soul; if you do not preoccupy it with truth, it will occupy you with falsehood. It is the (nature of the) heart; if you do not accommodate it with love of Allah, it will dwell with love of creation and this is a certain reality. It is the (nature of the) tongue, if you do not preoccupy it with remembrance, it will most definitely occupy you with frivolity.

Thus, choose for your own self one of the two courses and confer upon it one of the two standings.[12]”