Avoiding the Laghw (unnecessary and useless speech and actions)

The Arabic word Laghw used in the Quran means vain, useless talk or pastime. Anything that is not beneficial for one s self, for others, or for the hereafter !dunya or Aakhirah" falls into the realm of Laghw. #t has no place in a proper $uslim life. %aradise will have no Laghw in it. They will hear no vain talk therein, nor any call to sin. !Qur an, &'()&" The sincere believers avoid useless talk and actions even in the life of this world. *ome meetings, pastimes, habits and hobbies are so utterly useless that wise people among non+$uslims too avoid them. #n order to check whether what we do comes under Laghw or not, we should ask ourselves two key ,uestions( -. .ill this benefit me in this world and the hereafter/ ). #s there something else more beneficial that # can do/ 0seless conversation to kill boredom is so common nowadays. %icking up the phone to talk without any specific purpose, meeting people all the time to have chit+chats over food, spending hours in front of the T1 or in online chat+rooms are all Laghw. #n addition, comedians who say anything to make people laugh, even fabricated statements, and drama and films that are fantastical and far+fetched and give us no beneficial knowledge+ all fall under Laghw. The worse part is, most of the Laghw talk and acts often lead to sins of various types like gheebah, lying, foul talk etc. #f one consistently and honestly guards one s pastimes by rating them according to the above two ,uestions, he or she in the long term can really make the most out of life. 2iven below is the Quran and 3adith warnings against Laghw( Quran( And say to $y slaves !believers" that they should !only" say those words that are the best !in which no one4s heart is hurt". 5ecause *haitan, verily, provokes discord among them. *urely, *haitan is to man an open enemy. 6Al+#sra -7( &89

.hile mentioning the ,ualities of believers Allah *ubhanahu wa Ta4ala says( And those who turn away from unprofitable and shameful talk and actions. 6Al+$u4minun )8( :89 Allah *ubhanahu wa Ta4ala while mentioning the ,ualities of believers, says( And those who do not participate in false works !neither lie, nor give false witness, nor attend meetings of wrong affairs and sins". And when they pass by vain; non+beneficial meetings they pass honourably. 6Al+<ur,an )&( 7)9 Allah *ubhanahu wa Ta4ala says( And when they hear unprofitable and shameful talk, they withdraw from it. 6Al+Qasas )=(&&9 3adiths( Abu 3urairah !>adiyallahu 4anhu" narrates that >asulullah !*allallahu 4alaihi wasallam" said( The e?cellence and good observance of #slam by a man is to leave aside that which does not concern him. !Tirmidhi" @ote( The meaning of this hadith is that the perfection and beauty of a man4s belief is reflected in his giving up unprofitable talk and actions. 40,ba ibne+4Amir !>adiyallahu 4anhu" narrates that # asked( A >asulallahB .hat is the way to salvation/ 3e said( Control your tongue, remain in your house, and weep over your sins. !Tirmidhi" @ote( Control your tongue means that it should not be used wrongly, e.g. backbiting, slandering, talking immodestly, speaking unnecessarily, talking carelessly, ,uarrelling, abusing, cursing men and animals, e?cessively indulging in poetry, mocking, disclosing secrets, making false promises, swearing falsely, duplicity, flattery and asking unneccessary ,uestions. !#thaf of Allama Dabedi+the commentary of #hya ul 0loom" Abu Ehar !>adiallahu 4anhu" narrates( # went to >asulullah !*allallahu 4alaihi wasallam" and said( A >asulAllahB Advise me. 3e mentioned a long 3adith till he said( Abserve prolonged silence, for this drives away the *haitan and helps you in your >eligious affairs. Abu Ehar said( Advise me more. 3e said( Avoid too much laughing, for indeed it brings death to the heart, and removes the @ur !light" of the face. !5aiha,i" 5ilal ibne+3arith Al+$uFani !>adiyallahu 4anhu", a companion of >asulullah *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam narrates( # heard >asulullah *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam saying( Ane of you says something that pleases Allah, which he does not deem important, but by this saying, Allah destines 3is pleasure for him till the Eay of >esurrection. And someone of you says something that displeases Allah, which he does not deem important, but by this saying, Allah destines 3is displeasure for him till the Eay of >esurrection.

!Tirmidhi with a grading of 3asan+*ahih" Abu *a4id Al+Ghudri !>adiyallahu 4anhu" narrates that @abi *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam said( A man says such a word considering it to be insignificant and only to make people laugh, by which he plunges himself into the depth of 3ell to a distance more than that between the earth and the sky. !$usnad Ahmad" Abu 3urairah >adiyallahu 4anhu narrates that @abi *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam wasallam said( A man speaks a word pleasing to Allah, without considering it of any importance, yet Allah e?alts him in ranks for it. And a man speaks a word displeasing to Allah, without considering it of any importance, due to which he falls into 3ell. !5ukhari" Abu 3urairah >adiyallahu 4anhu narrates that >asulullah *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam said( A man speaks something thoughtlessly because of which he falls deep into 3ell to a distance more than that between the Hast and the .est. !$uslim" Abu 3urairah >adiyallahu 4anhu narrates that >asulullah *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam said( 3e who believes in Allah and the Last Eay, should speak what is good or be silent. !5ukhari" 0mme 3abiba >adiyallahu 4anha, wife of @abi *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam, narrates that @abi *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam said( The words of the son of Adam are against him e?cept enIoining good, forbiding evil or remembering Allah. !Tirmidhi" 4Abdullah ibn 40mar >adiyallahu 4anhuma narrates that >asulullah *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam said( Eo not speak too much e?cept in glorifying Allah, for talking too much without remembering Allah causes hardness of the heart. And amongst the people farthest away from Allah are those, whose hearts are hard. !Tirmidhi" Abu 3urairah >adiyallahu 4anhu narrates that @abi *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam said( #t is enough for a man to be a sinner that he relates whatever he hears. !Abu Eawud" Anas ibn $alik >adiyallahu 4anhu narrates that a *ahabi died, and a man said !addressing the dead"( 2lad tidings of %aradise to you. >asulullah *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam told him( 3ow do you know/ %erhaps he spoke something irrelevant or was miserly about something which would cause him no loss. !Tirmidhi" Abu *a4id Ghudri >adiyallahu 4anhu narrates that a man came to @abi *allallahu 4alaihi wasallam and said( A >asulallahB Advise me. 3e advised !amongst other things"( %rotect your tongue e?cept for good. 0ndoubtedly, by this you will overcome *haitan. !$aIma+4uF+Dawaid with a 3asan chain" Let us analyFe our personal activities, meetings, pastimes and hobbies, and honestly ask ourselves whether each of them will really benefit us in this

world and the 3ereafter. %erhaps then, #nsha Allah, we can take steps towards honorably avoiding the useless ones, replacing them with lofty righteous deeds that will benefit us, and others, both in this world and the hereafter.