Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Principles of Life
The Prophet of Islam has been recorded as saying by Abu Hurayrah: “A man sometimes says something to which he has not given due consideration and, because of this, he falls into the Fire – a distance further than that between east and west.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 8923)
How easily people make remarks of the utmost gravity for others, without considering what they say. How easily they hurt others, damage their reputations and cause all manner of strife because they do not care to make sure that what they say is true, or trouble their imaginations with what the impact of their words is likely to be. The evil of what they say may be staring at them in the face, but they choose to ignore it. This is what will send them hurtling – could they but realize it – into the Fire.
Another aspect of this disregard for others is that while we give careful consideration to what we say to or about our superiors or those who please us, we do not stop to think of what we say to or about our inferiors or those who displease us. We make accusations, besmirch, another’s good name, all without proof, and just on the basis of hearsay or our own idle, ill-judged suppositions.