Chapter
The Guidance of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings Be upon Him, in Guarding His Speech and Choosing His Words
He was careful in his speech, choosing for his community the best, most beautiful and gentlest expressions, furthest removed from the language of those given to rudeness, harshness and obscenity (1). He was neither foul-mouthed nor deliberately obscene, neither loud nor harsh.
He disliked using honourable and dignified terms for those who did not deserve them, or degrading and offensive terms for those to whom they did not apply.
Examples of the former include his prohibition against addressing a hypocrite as “our master” (2). He said: “For if he is (3) a master, you have displeased (4) your Lord, Mighty and Majestic” (5). He also prohibited calling the grapevine karm (a name connoting nobility) (6), and calling Abū Jahl by the name Abū al-Hakam (7). Likewise, he changed the name of Abū
(1) “Wa-l-fuhsh (and obscenity)” is absent from Sād.
(2) Jīm: “sayyid (master)” instead of “yā sayyidanā (O our master).”
(3) Qāf, Bā’: “fa-in lam yaku (for if he is not).” This is an error that contradicts the transmitted wording.
(4) Qāf, Bā’, Sād, Mīm-Bā’: “aghdabtum (you have angered).” The reading adopted from the remaining manuscripts agrees with the transmitted wording.
(5) Narrated by Ahmad (22939), al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-mufrad (760), Abū Dāwūd (4977), and al-Nasā’ī in al-Sunan al-kubrā (10002), from Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him. The hadith was graded authentic by al-Nawawī in al-Adhkār, edited by al-Arna’ūt (p. 362); al-Irāqī in Takhrīj al-Ihyā’ (p. 1056); al-Mundhirī in al-Targhīb wa-l-tarhīb (4433); and al-Albānī in al-Silsilah al-sahīhah (371).
(6) The sources for this hadith were given earlier.
(7) I have found no evidence indicating a prohibition, other than that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to call him Abū Jahl. One example is his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Who will see what has happened to Abū Jahl?” Narrated by al-Bukhārī (4020) and Muslim (1800), from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him. Ibn Abd al-Barr said in al-Istī‘āb (3/1082): “Abū Jahl used to bear the kunyah Abū al-Hakam, but the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gave him the kunyah Abū Jahl, and it fell out of use.”