The Tongue: A Double-Edged Sword (Jumu’ah Summary 12/9/25)

The tongue is a small organ, yet it has the power to elevate a believer to the highest ranks of righteousness – or to cast them into disgrace in this life and the next. Our words can heal hearts, spread goodness, and uplift communities. But they can also cause immense harm, destroying reputations, spreading discord, and feeding the fire of sin.

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb’s Warning

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه once said:
“Make mention frequently of Allah, for it is a cure. And beware of making frequent mention of people, for that is a disease.”

This profound statement reminds us that the tongue can be used for the remembrance of Allah which purifies the soul and heals the heart. But when the tongue is used for gossip, slander, and unnecessary talk about others, it becomes a disease that corrupts faith and damages communities.

ʿUmar also said:
“Whoever talks too much will make too many mistakes.”

The more we let our words run unchecked, the more likely we are to fall into sins that can ruin both our relationships and our standing before Allah.

The Prophet’s Warnings About the Tongue

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave us vivid images of how misusing the tongue will be punished in the Hereafter. These powerful descriptions are not for storytelling alone – they are meant to shake us, to make us picture the consequences so vividly that we stop ourselves before committing the same deeds.

On the night of the Ascension, he ﷺ saw people scratching their faces and chests with copper nails. When he asked Jibrīl عليه السلام who they were, he was told:
“These are the people who backbit and trampled upon the honour of others.” (Abū Dāwūd)

Just as they made it difficult for others to show their faces in this world, they will be punished by disfiguring their own faces in the next.

The Prophet ﷺ also said:
“The worst people in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the two-faced – those who come to one group with one face and to another group with another face.” (Bukhārī)

In another narration, he ﷺ warns us in particular about dishonouring our spouses – something that is sadly common today:
“Verily, the most evil of people in the presence of Allah on the Day of Resurrection is a man who was intimate with his wife and then spreads her secrets.” (Muslim)

The common theme is clear: the worst people on the Day of Judgement are those who abused their tongues to harm others.

The Misery of Abusing the Tongue

The Companions and early scholars also spoke strongly about this danger.

ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The one who has two faces in this world will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Judgement.” (Abū Dāwūd)

The Prophet ﷺ also warned:
“Whoever eavesdrops on people’s conversations while they dislike it, molten copper will be poured into his ears on the Day of Resurrection.” (Bukhārī)

Just as you burnt the honour of a person in this life, you will be burnt in return on Judgement Day.

He ﷺ also said if we constantly seek to expose others, this may very well backfire on us:
“O you who have believed with your tongues but faith has not entered your hearts! Do not backbite the Muslims or seek out their faults. Whoever seeks out the faults of others, Allah will seek out his faults. And if Allah seeks out his faults, He will expose him even inside his own house.” (Abū Dāwūd)

This is why Abū al-Dardāʾ رضي الله عنه advised:
“O son of Adam, be concerned with your own faults. Whoever busies himself with the faults of others, his grief will be prolonged and his anger will never be healed.”

Between Fear and Hope

Islam teaches us that faith is always balanced between fear and hope. Yes, the warnings about the tongue are terrifying – but they are given so we can avoid destruction. And there is always a positive flip-side: for every sin we are warned against, there is a reward for abstaining and choosing goodness.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever defends the honour of his brother in his absence, Allah will defend his face from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.” (Aḥmad)

So while one person may come on the Day of Judgement with their face disfigured by fire, another will have a face glowing with protection and honour – simply for speaking up in defence of their fellow believer.

On that Day, Allah describes two types of faces:
Faces of light and joy: “Some faces that Day will be bright, laughing, and rejoicing.” (Qur’an 80:38–39)
Faces of gloom and regret: “Other faces that Day will be covered with dust, darkness will cover them.” (Qur’an 80:40–41)

The Tongue in the Age of Social Media

Today, our tongues are not limited to what comes out of our mouths. Our fingers are like an extension of our tongues. Every comment, every post, every share is a word recorded for or against us. Behind a screen, people often say things they would never say in person – but the angels record it all the same.

Backbiting, slander, mockery, and gossip spread online can cause even more damage than spoken words. With a single click, lies and insults can reach thousands and can destabilise entire communities or families.

Similarly, much of what circulates on social media about Muslims, Islam, or Muslim affairs is distorted or false. Instead of feeding into this chaos, believers should combat misinformation, verify before sharing, and spread truth and justice. The Qur’an reminds us:
“O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with news, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” (Qur’an 49:6)

Conclusion

Our tongues are double-edged swords. With a single word of kindness, gratitude, or remembrance of Allah, we can be elevated. With a single word of slander, gossip, or betrayal, we can fall into ruin.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“A person may utter a word pleasing to Allah, without considering it of any significance, yet Allah will elevate him by many degrees. And a person may utter a word displeasing to Allāh, without considering it of any significance, yet it will cause him to fall into the Hellfire.” (Bukhārī)

May Allah grant us tongues – and fingertips – that remember Him often, that heal rather than harm, and that protect the honour of others. And may He save us from words, posts, and shares that sow discord, spread sin, and burden us with regret on the Day when faces are unveiled.

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