people will not trust them once talk about them becomes widespread and people begin to pry into their affairs. For that reason, whenever conversation abounds and the public starts delving into some issue, a believer must take special care to curb his tongue and speak only when the benefit is clear. Even if he is asked, he should content himself with saying, “We ask Allah for guidance; we ask Allah to guide everyone.” To speak freely and let the tongue run loose about matters that have no foundation whatsoever betrays a deficiency in faith in Allah and the Last Day. A person does not become an unbeliever on that account, but his faith is certainly diminished, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or keep silent.” As the proverb goes, “If speech is silver, silence is gold.” Another wise saying states, “Silence is wisdom, yet few observe it,” and another, “He who keeps silent is safe, while he who speaks is in danger.” Therefore, hold your peace until you see that speaking will bring about good; then—and only then—speak, for good speech is what is sought.