And in Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Sahl ibn Saʿd reports that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever guarantees me that he will safeguard what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, I guarantee him Paradise.” What is between his jaws encompasses both speech and food.

Likewise, it is established in the two Sahīhs, from the reports of Abū Hurayrah and Abū Shurayh al-Khuzāʿī, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”

Thus, he, peace and blessings be upon him, made clear that whoever guarantees him that he will safeguard these two, he guarantees him Paradise. This implies that these two are avenues to Hell. For this reason, Allah has forbidden shameful deeds, both outward and hidden. He has also forbidden violations of people’s honour and prescribed a fixed punishment for accusing someone of sexual immorality: the prescribed punishment for slander, eighty lashes.

He, peace and blessings be upon him, also made clear that unlawful sexual intercourse is among the major sins, and that accusing chaste, unsuspecting women of it is among the major sins. And it—it is among the major sins when it has not been substantiated by