The period of Imam Sajad’s (peace be upon him) leadership coincided with the atrocities committed by the Umayyads and the Marwanid dynasty in the name of Islam. At a time when figures like Yazid claimed themselves as the caliphs following the Prophet (peace be upon him), Imam Sajad (peace be upon him) illuminated the path of truth with profound knowledge through his prayers. Many of these prayers have been collected in works like Sahifa Sajjadiya.
One of these invaluable works is the Risala al-Huqooq (The Treatise on Rights) by Imam Sajad (peace be upon him), which contains 51 rights, each of which holds a vast ocean of human knowledge.
For instance, the third right mentioned by Imam Sajad (peace be upon him) is the right of the tongue. We will briefly examine this based on narrations:
According to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him), the distinguishing feature of humans from other creatures is their intellect and the power of speech and expression[1]. With a kind and good tongue, a person can build many aspects of social well-being, turn enmities into friendships, and conversely, with a harsh and bad tongue, one can destroy what has been built and turn friendships into hostility.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) has emphasized the importance of guarding the tongue:
“Is there anything that leads people to the fire, other than the result of their tongues?”[2]
Thus, the tongue, though the smallest member of the body, performs the greatest and most weighty actions. Controlling the tongue ensures peace, comfort, and protection from divine punishment on the Day of Judgment. If a person cannot control their tongue and leaves it unchecked, it leads to troubles in this world and the next, affecting all the other parts of the body.
Imam Zain al-Abidin (peace be upon him) has said about the rights of this important organ:
“The right of the tongue is that you refrain from foul speech, and train yourself in good speech and politeness. You should avoid speaking unless it is necessary and brings benefit to your religion or worldly affairs. Refrain from excessive or meaningless speech that only brings harm, and know that the tongue is the testimony of your intellect and thought. The beauty and adornment of intellect is reflected in your eloquence”[3]
Thus, a person should consider this organ to be above being used for foul language or improper speech. Allah has not endowed this organ for curses, backbiting, slander, or any such prohibited, condemned, or futile speech. Rather, its duty is to foster affection, intimacy, and proper communication based on politeness, intellect, and religious principles.
Indeed, if the tongue can be the cause of either one’s happiness or misery, where does our tongue lead us? Is it a fire that burns our deeds to ruin, or is it a life-giving water that quashes other flames?
(Taken from the book A Journey through the Treatise on Rights, from the series of lectures by Ayatollah Yathrabi)
Footnotes:
[1] Gharar al-Hikam, p. 50, Hadith 330
[2] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 115, Hadith 14
[3] Tuhaf al-Uqoul, p. 255