Genial Word

The genial word, the good saying, we can get it from a goodly source. It could be from a person, but of course we get it absolutely from God, through His messengers. “Say: if the sea were ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be depleted before the words of my Lord were depleted, even though the like of it as replenishment” (18: 1099). “And if all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea replenished with seven more seas, the Words of God would not be depleted. Truly God is Mighty, Wise” (31: 27).

As for the word of a human being, it depends on whether it is  good or bad.

If  the word which is uttered is good then it may be fruitful for the person himself or herself and for others, not only in this life but also in the Hereafter. The good word can come only from a good origin. For that, God has struck a parable: “Are you not aware how God sets forth the parable of a good word? (It is) like a good tree, its root set firm and its shoots (reaching out) towards the sky; it gives its produce every season by the leave of its Lord. And (thus it is that) God propounds parables for mankind, so that they might bethink themselves”(14: 24-25).

And if the word or saying of a person is bad, then it may hurt the person himself or herself, not only in this life, but also in the Hereafter, and it may hurt others too in this life.

In case a person has nothing to help a needy, then comes a needy to him asking for help fiercely and maybe impolitely, this person is recommended to behave forbearance with him, and he should never utter to him any bad word, as God says: “A honorable word and forgiveness is better than charity followed by causing hurt, and God is Self-sufficient, Forbearing”(2 : 263).

Al-Bukhari recorded in his important Collection of Hadith the report of Abu Hurairah that the blessed Prophet said:    

“A person may say a word which is contented by God, even if he uttered it unconsciously, God will elevate him to a higher degree by it; while a person may say a word which is discontented by God, even if he uttered it unconsciously, but this will end him to Hell”. And Abu Hurairah also reported the saying of the blessed Prophet:

“Whoever is believing in God and in the Hereafter, he or she should say something good or should keep quiet” (This Hadith is recorded by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Collections of Hadith).

One of the companions of the blessed Prophet, Mu’adz Bin Jabal reported that one day he asked the Prophet: O messenger of God! Are we accountable on what we utter  with our tongues? The blessed Prophet answered: ((How stupid you are, o Mu’adz! Do not you know that most people who will be punished in Hell will be held there ONLY because of what was uttered by their tongues?))

(This Hadith was recorded by Tirmidzy).

In the Qur’an also there is a continuation of that parable which was mentioned above, which says:  “And the parable of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, wholly unable to endure” (14: 26).

In fact the Qur’an is warning mankind to be careful in using this excellent gift of God (the capability of expressing what is in his inner self), because this will effect into good or into bad in the society (in this life), and will effect  into good or into bad for the person himself (in the Hereafter) :”And verily We have created human being and We know what his innermost self whispers within him, for We are closer to him than his jugular vein. (And so) whenever the two (angels) who are in charge of watching a person’s deeds come face to face, contending from the right and from the left, not even a word can he utter but there is a watcher with him, ever-present” (50: 16-18).

And as the word uttered by a person is considered his or her deed, then we can understand that the good word which is uttered by a person will be rewarded in the Hereafter with ten times credit, while the bad word which is uttered by a person will be requited with only no more than the like. This is a kind of great bounty of God to His servants, and an encouragement for people to do good and to say good. God says: “Whoever shall come (before God) with a good deed will gain ten times the like thereof, but whoever shall come with an evil deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof, and none shall be wronged” (6 : 160).