the desire to speak, and few are spared the pull of these two appetites.

Thus, a Muslim is the one from whose tongue the Muslims are safe—that is, he withholds his tongue from harming them. He speaks of them only in good terms; he does not curse, backbite, gossip, or stir up discord among people. Such a person is peaceable: when he hears something objectionable he guards his tongue. He is not like certain people—may Allah protect us—who, when they hear something negative about their Muslim brother, rejoice in it and broadcast it far and wide. Such a person, God forbid, is not a Muslim.

Secondly, the Muslims are safe from his hand: he does not assault them by striking, wounding, seizing their wealth, or anything of that sort. He keeps his hand in check; he takes only what he is lawfully entitled to and wrongs no one. When a person combines safety for others from both his hand and his tongue, that person is the true Muslim.

This ḥadith therefore makes it clear that whoever does not keep people safe from his tongue or his hand is not a Muslim. Those whose only concern is idle talk and gossip about the servants of Allah, devouring their flesh and their honor, are not Muslims; and those whose sole aim is to attack people, beat them, or seize their property—any wrongdoing carried out by the hand—are likewise not Muslims.

This is the information the Prophet ﷺ has conveyed to us, and he did not inform us merely so that we might know it, but so that we might act upon it. Of what use are words that are not implemented? Therefore, if you truly want Islam, see to it that people are safe from your tongue and your hand, and you will be a genuine Muslim. I ask Allah, exalted be He, to protect us and protect others from us, to grant us well-being, and to pardon us. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.