[Machine] While we were riding with the Prophet ﷺ, his camel went ahead and then my camel caught up with his until I thought that his camel knew the way and was following mine, to the point that our knees touched. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, I want to ask you something repeatedly, but the verse {O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you} prevents me from doing so." He said, "What is it, Mu'adh?" I said, "The deed that will admit me into Paradise and keep me away from the Fire." He said, "You have asked about something great, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish prayer, give charity, perform Hajj to the House of Allah, and fast during Ramadan." Then he said, "Shall I not inform you of the foundation of all of this?" I said, "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." He took hold of his tongue and said, "Restrain this." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?" He said, "May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu'adh! Are people thrown into the Hellfire on their faces or on their noses for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?" He continued, "You have asked about something that is within the reach of many people. However, only a few of them do it. Many will invoke Allah, but few will respond to Him. Will I not inform you of that which encompasses all of that?" I said, "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." He took hold of his tongue and said, "Restrain this." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?" He said, "May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu'adh! Are people thrown into the Hellfire on their faces or on their noses for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?" He continued, "You have asked about something that is within the reach of many people. However, only a few of them do it. Many will invoke Allah, but few will respond to Him. Will I not inform you of that which encompasses all of that?" I said, "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." He took hold of his tongue and said, "Restrain this." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?" He said, "May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu'adh! Are people thrown into the Hellfire on their faces or on their noses for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?"
بَيْنَا نَحْنُ رَكْبٌ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِذْ تَقَدَّمَتْ رَاحِلَتُهُ ثُمَّ رَاحِلَتِي لَحِقَتْ رَاحِلَتَهُ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ رَاحِلَتَهُ قَدْ عَرَفَتْ وَطْءَ رَاحِلَتِي حَتَّى نَطَحَتْ رُكْبَتِي رُكْبَتَهُ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مِرَارًا وَيَمْنَعُنِي مَكَانُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ} قَالَ «مَا هُوَ يَا مُعَاذُ؟» قُلْتُ الْعَمَلُ الَّذِي يُدْخِلُ الْجَنَّةَ وَيَتَجَنَّبُنِي مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ قَدْ سَأَلْتَ عَظِيمًا وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ وَإِقَامُ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءُ الزَّكَاةِ وَحَجُّ الْبَيْتِ وَصَوْمُ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِرَأْسِ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذِرْوَتِهِ الْجِهَادِ ثُمَّ قَالَ الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُكَفِّرُ الْخَطَايَا ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكَ بِمَا هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِالنَّاسِ عَنْ ذَلِكَ؟» فَأَخَذَ لِسَانَهُ فَوَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ إِصْبَعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَكُلُّ مَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ يُكْتَبُ عَلَيْنَا؟ قَالَ «ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟ إِنَّكَ لَمْ تَزَلْ سَالِمًا مَا سَكَتَّ فَإِذَا تَكَلَّمَتَ كُتِبَ لَكَ أَوْ عَلَيْكَ»