Advice of the Prophet ﷺ to Muadh b. Jabal

I accompanied the Prophet ﷺ on a journey. One day I was near him while we were moving so I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Inform me about an action by which I will be admitted into Paradise, and which will keep me far from the Fire." He said: "You have asked me about something great, but it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy: (1) Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him, (2) establish the Salah, (3) give the Zakat, (4) fast Ramadan and, (5) perform Hajj to the House.'

Then he ﷺ said: "Shall I not guide you to the doors of good? (1) Fasting is a shield, and (2) charity extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire, and (3) a person's prayer in depths of the night." Then he ﷺ recited: "Their sides forsake their beds to call upon their Lord..." until he reached "what they used to do." [Sajdah 32:16-17]

Then he ﷺ said: "Shall I not inform you about the head of the entire matter, and its pillar, and its hump?" I said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah!" He ﷺ said: "The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is the Salah, and its hump is Jihad."

Then he ﷺ said: "Shall I not inform you about what governs all of that?" I said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah!" So he ﷺ grabbed his tongue and he said: "Restrain this." I said: "O Prophet of Allah! Will we be taken to account for what we say?" He said: "May your mother grieve your loss O Muadh! Are the people not tossed into the Hellfire upon their faces," or "upon their noses, except because of what their tongues have wrought?"  

كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمًا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ: «لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْ عَظِيمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ: (١) تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا، (٢) وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ، (٣) وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، (٤) وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ، (٥) وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ۔»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ (١) الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ، (٢) وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ، (٣) وَصَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ۔» قَالَ ثُمَّ تَلاََ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {يَعْمَلُونَ} [السجدة 16-17]»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ الأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذِرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟» قُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ: «رَأْسُ الأَمْرِ الإِسْلاَمُ وَعَمُودُهُ الصَّلاَةُ وَذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ۔»

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِمَلاَكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ قَالَ: «كُفَّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا۔» فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ فَقَالَ: «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ، وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ» أَوْ «عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ إِلاَّ حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟»  

“I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a journey. One morning I drew close to him when we were on the move and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action that will gain me admittance to Paradise and keep me far away from Hell.’ He said: ‘You have asked for something great, but it is easy for the one for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything in worship with Him, establish prayer, pay charity, fast Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House.’ Then he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the means of goodness? Fasting is a shield, and charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and a man’s prayer in the middle of the night.’ Then he recited: “Their sides forsake their beds” until he reached: “As a reward for what they used to do.”[32:16-17] Then he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the head of the matter, and its pillar and pinnacle? (It is) Jihad.’ Then he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of the basis of all that?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He took hold of his tongue then said: ‘Restrain this.’ I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, will we be brought to account for what we say?’ He said: ‘May your mother not found you, O Mu’adh! Are people thrown onto their faces in Hell for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?’”  

كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمًا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَظِيمًا وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ لاَ تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلاَ أُدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ النَّارَ الْمَاءُ وَصَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ} ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ الأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِمِلاَكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ قُلْتُ بَلَى فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ فَقَالَ تَكُفُّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا قُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ قَالَ ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ  

"I accompanied the Prophet ﷺ on a journey. One day I was near him while we were moving so I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Inform me about an action by which I will be admitted into Paradise, and which will keep me far from the Fire.' He said: 'You have asked me about something great, but it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy: Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him, establish the Salat, give the Zakat, fast Ramadan and perform Hajj to the HOuse.' Then he said: 'Shall I not guide you to the doors of good? Fasting is a shield, and charity extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire - and a man's praying in depths of the night.'" He said: "Then he recited: 'Their sides forsake their beds to call upon their Lord.' Until he reached: 'What they used to do.' [32:16-17] Then he said: 'Shall I not inform you about the head of the entire matter, and its pillar, and its hump?' I said: 'Of course O Messenger of Allah! He said: 'The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is the Salat, and its hump is Jihad.' Then he said: 'Shall I not inform you about what governs all of that?' I said: 'Of course O Messenger of Allah!'" He ﷺ said: "So he grabbed his tongue. He said 'Restrain this.' I said: 'O Prophet of Allah! Will we be taken to account for what we say?' He said: 'May your mother grieve your loss O Mu'adh! Are the people tossed into the Fire upon their faces, or upon their noses, except because of what their tongues have wrought'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2616)  

كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصْبَحْتُ يَوْمًا قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ وَنَحْنُ نَسِيرُ فَقُلْتُ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ تَعْبُدُ اللهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ وَصَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ} [السجدة 16] حَتَّى بَلَغَ{يَعْمَلُونَ} [السجدة 17]ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ الْأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ رَأْسُ الْأَمْرِ الْإِسْلَامُ وَعَمُودُهُ الصَّلَاةُ وَذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِمِلَاكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ؟ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ بَلَى يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ فَقَالَ كُفَّ عَلَيْكَ هَذَا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ فَقَالَ ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ أَوْ قَالَ عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ إِلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟  

[Machine] "While we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the battle of Tabuk, the heat was intense and the people scattered. As I looked, I saw the closest person to me was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . So, I approached him and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me about an action that will admit me to Paradise and distance me from the Fire.' He said, 'You have asked about something great, yet it is easy for those to whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the obligatory prayers, give the obligatory charity, and fast in Ramadan.' He said, 'Shall I not inform you of the gates of Paradise?' I said, 'Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire, and a person's standing in prayer at night seeking the pleasure of Allah.' Then he recited the verse: 'Their sides forsake their beds, calling upon their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.' [Qur'an 32:16] He said, 'Shall I inform you of the foundation, pillar, and peak of all this?' I said, 'Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'The foundation is Islam, the pillar is prayer, and the peak is Jihad in the cause of Allah. And shall I inform you of the controlling factor in all this?' I said, 'Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.' He pointed with his finger towards his mouth and said, 'Restrain this.' I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say with our tongues?' He said, 'May your mother lose you! Is there anything that causes people to fall into Hell on their faces except for the harvest of their tongues?' This is the wording of the Hadith of Jarir, and Abu Ishaq Al-Fazari did not mention the Hukm bin 'Utbah in his version of the Hadith."  

بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ وَقَدْ أَصَابَ الْحَرُّ فَتَفَرَّقَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى نَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَقْرَبُهُمْ مِنِّي قَالَ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْبِئْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ «لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ» قَالَ «وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْبَأْتُكَ بِأَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ» قُلْتُ أَجَلْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ «الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُكَفِّرُ الْخَطِيئَةَ وَقِيَامُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ يَبْتَغِي وَجْهَ اللَّهِ» قَالَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ} [السجدة 16] قَالَ «وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْبَأْتُكَ بِرَأْسِ الْأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ» قَالَ قُلْتُ أَجَلْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ «أَمَّا رَأْسُ الْأَمْرِ فَالْإِسْلَامُ وَأَمَّا عَمُودُهُ فَالصَّلَاةُ وَأَمَّا ذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ فَالْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْبَأْتُكَ بِمِلَاكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ» فَسَكَتَ فَإِذَا رَاكِبَانِ يُوضِعَانَ قِبَلَنَا فَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَشْغَلَاهُ عَنْ حَاجَتِي قَالَ فَقُلْتُ مَا هُوَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ «فَأَهْوَى بِإِصْبَعِهِ إِلَى فِيهِ» قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا لَنُؤَاخَذُ بِمَا نَقُولُ بِأَلْسِنَتِنَا؟ قَالَ «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ ابْنَ جَبَلٍ هَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ إِلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟» هَذَا لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ جَرِيرٍ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الْفَزَارِيُّ فِي حَدِيثِهِ الْحَكَمَ بْنَ عُتَيْبَةَ  

[Machine] He said: O Messenger of Allah, inform me of an action that will enter its doer into Paradise. He replied: "How excellent, how excellent! Indeed, you have asked about something great, yet it is easy for the one who Allah makes it easy for. Worship Allah alone, without associating partners with Him, establish the obligatory prayers, give the obligatory charity, fast in Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House. And shall I not inform you of the pillar of all this? Its top, its cornerstone, and its peak?" He said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ then said: "The pillar of all this is testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, the top of it is Jihad in the cause of Allah, and the peak of it is the prayer at its proper time." Then he said: "Shall I not inform you of the doors of goodness? Fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sins as water extinguishes fire, and the standing of a person in prayer during the night." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the verse: {Their sides draw away from their beds to invoke their Lord in fear and hope. And they spend (in Allah's Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them} [Quran 32:16]. Then he said: "Shall I not tell you of the controlling factor of all that?" He shook his own tongue and said: "Restrain this." Mu'adh said: "O Messenger of Allah, will we really be held accountable for what we say with our tongues?" He ﷺ said: "May your mother lose you, O Mu'adh! People will be thrown into the Hellfire only on their faces - or he said, on their noses - because of the harvests of their tongues."

Note: The translation provided might not be an exact translation of the passage, but it captures the general meaning.  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَخْبَرَنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُ صَاحِبَهُ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ بَخٍ بَخٍ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ كَبِيرٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللهُ تَعْبُدُ اللهَ لَا تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَتُؤَدِّي الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ وَسَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِرَأْسِ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ رَأْسُ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَعَمُودُهُ وَذُرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ وَسَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ وَقِيَامُ الْعَبْدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَقَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ} الْآيَةَ وَسَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَمْلَكِ مِنْ ذَاكَ كُلَّهِ وَهَزَّ رَاحِلَتَهُ وَدَنَوْتُ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا الَّذِي أَمْلَكُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهِ؟ فَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى لِسَانِهِ قُلْتُ اللِّسَانُ؟ كَالْمُتَهَاونِ بِهِ فَقَالَ «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ بْنَ جَبَلٍ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ إِلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟»  

[Machine] I said, "O Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that will admit me into Paradise." He said, "Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the obligatory prayers, and pay the obligatory charity. Shall I guide you to the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sins, and the standing of a servant in the depths of the night." Then he recited the verse, "Their sides forsake their beds." I said, "Shall I inform you of that which encompasses all of them?" He gestured with his hand towards his tongue and said, "Restraint of the tongue." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?" He said, "May your mother be bereaved of you! Is there anything that throws people into the Hellfire upon their faces or on their noses except the harvests of their tongues?"  

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَخْبَرَنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ «بَخٍ بَخٍ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَنْ عَظِيمٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ تَعْبُدُ اللهَ لَا تُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَتُؤَدِّي الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ أَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟ فَأَمَّا رَأْسُ الْأَمْرِ فَالْإِسْلَامُ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ سَلِمَ وَأَمَّا عَمُودُهُ فَالصَّلَاةُ وَأَمَّا ذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ فَالْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُكَفِّرُ الْخَطِيئَةَ وَقِيَامُ الْعَبْدِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ» وَتَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ} «أَوَلَا أُخْبِرُكُ بِأَمْلَكِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ؟» فَأَقْبَلَ رَاكِبٌ أَوْ رَكْبٌ فَحَسِبْتُ أَنْ يَشْغَلُوا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ عَنِّي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ «أَوَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَمْلِكِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ؟» فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى لِسَانِهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّا لَنُؤَاخَذُ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ قَالَ «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ مُعَاذُ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ»  

"لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَنِى عَنْ عَظِيم، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى منْ يَسَّرَهُ اللهُ عَلَيهِ، تَعْبُدُ اللهَ لَا تُشْرِكُ بِه شيئًا، وتُقيمُ الصلاةَ المكتوبةَ، وتؤتى الزَّكَاةَ المفروضةَ وتَصُومُ رمضانَ، وتَحجُّ البيتَ، أَلا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الخيرِ؟ ، الصومُ جُنَّةٌ، والصدقةُ تَطفئُ الخَطِيئَةَ كما يُطفِئُ الماءُ النَّارَ، وَصَلاةُ الرَّجُلِ في جوفِ الليلِ، أَلا أُخبركُ برأسِ الأَمرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ: رَأسُ الأَمْرِ الإِسلامُ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ سَلِم، وَعمَودُهُ الصلاةُ، وذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِه الجهادُ، أَلا أُخْبرُكَ (*) بمَلاكِ ذلِكَ كُلِّه؟ كُفَّ عَلَيكَ هَذَا- وأَشَارَ إِلى لِسَانِهِ، قَال: يَانَبيَّ اللهَ وَإِنَّا لمؤَاخَذونَ بِمَا نَتكلَّمُ بِه؟ ، قال: ثَكَلَتكَ أَمُّكَ يَا مُعَاذُ، وَهَلْ يَكبُّ الناسَ في النَّارِ عَلَى وَجُوهِهم، أَوْ عَلَى مَنَاخِرَهم في النَّارِ إِلا حَصَائِدِ أَلْسَنَتِهم".