even about his physical appearance—such as describing him as tall or short, and the like. This is made clear in the report narrated by ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): she once remarked about Ṣafiyyah bint Ḥuyayy, one of the Mothers of the Believers, “It is enough for you to know about Ṣafiyyah that she is such-and-such,” intending to say that she was short. She said this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he replied, “You have uttered a word which, were it mixed with the water of the sea, it would cloud it.” That is, if that single remark were blended with the vast sea it would still stain it—so great is its effect, despite being so few words. Its seriousness lay in the fact that it concerned her co-wife, and that the statement might have inclined the Prophet ﷺ to dislike Ṣafiyyah; hence its tremendous weight.

Likewise, consider the grave punishment the Prophet ﷺ witnessed during the Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ): he passed by people with fingernails of copper, clawing at their faces and chests. He asked, “O Gabriel, who are these?” Gabriel replied, “They are the ones who tear at people’s honor—those who consume the flesh of others and assail their reputation.”

The essential lesson is that a believer must beware of letting his tongue run loose, and must speak only what is good if he truly believes in Allah and the Last Day. As the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.”

We ask Allah to protect us and you from His wrath, and to help us and you to show gratitude to Him and to perfect our worship of Him.