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] 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".