Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say what is good or keep silent

Chapter: Encouragement to honor one's neighbor and guest, and the obligation to remain silent unless one has something good to say, and the fact that all of that is part of faith

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 47a

Narrator:Abu Hurayrah

حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ جَارَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ ‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say what is good or keep silent. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest."

Reported by Muslim (No. 47a, 47b), Al-Bukhari (No. 6018, 6136, 6138, 6475), Abu Dawud (No. 5154), At-Tirmidhi (No. 2500), Ibn Majah (No. 3971) and Ahmad (No. 7307, 7325, 9223, 9588, 9591, 22398).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day, that he will be resurrected and recompensed therein for his deeds, is driven by his belief to do these things:

First: good words: Examples of good words include glorification of Allah and proclamation of His oneness, enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, and reconciling between people. If a person does not say something good, he should then keep silent, restraining his tongue and sparing people from his harm.

Second: honoring the neighbors: by being benevolent to them and not causing them any harm.

Third: honoring the guests: by speaking to them in a nice manner, presenting food to them, and so on.

Lessons

Belief in Allah and the Last Day is the basis of all goodness, prompting people to do good.
The Hadīth warns against the bad use of the tongue.
Islam is a religion of cordiality and generosity.
These traits fall under the branches of faith and belong to sublime ethics.
Speaking a lot may lead one to what is disliked or prohibited. Safety lies in keeping silent unless one says something good.

Explanation in Arabic

بَيَّنَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنَّ العبدَ المؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر الذي إليه معاده وفيه مجازاته بعمله، يَحُثُّه إيمانُه على فعل هذه الخصال:

الأولى: القول الحسن: من التسبيح والتهليل، والأمر بالمعروف، والنهي عن المنكر، والإصلاح بين الناس، فإنْ لم يفعل فلْيلزم السكوت ويَكُف أذاه ويحفظ لسانه.

الثاني: إكرام الجار: بالإحسان إليه وعدم إيذائه.

الثالث: إكرام الضيف القادم لزيارتك: بطِيْبِ الكلام وإطعام الطعام ونحو ذلك.

الإيمان بالله واليوم الآخر أَصْلٌ لكلِّ خير، ويَبعث على فعل الخير.
التحذير من آفات اللسان.
دين الإسلام دين الأُلفة والكرم.
هذه الخصال من شُعَب الإيمان ومن الآداب المحمودة.
كثرة الكلام قد تَجُرُّ إلى المكروه أو المحرَّم، والسلامة في عدم الكلام إلا في الخير.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِن بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْم الْآخِر فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُت , وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِن بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْم الْآخِر فَلْيُكْرِمْ جَاره , وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِن بِاَللَّهِ وَالْيَوْم الْآخِر فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفه ) وَفِي الرِّوَايَة الْأُخْرَى ( فَلَا يُؤْذِي جَاره ) قَالَ أَهْل اللُّغَة : يُقَال : صَمَتَ يَصْمُت بِضَمِّ الْمِيم صَمْتًا وَصُمُوتًا وَصُمَاتًا أَيْ سَكَتَ. قَالَ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ : وَيُقَال أَصْمُتُ بِمَعْنَى صَمَتّ وَالتَّصْمِيت السُّكُوت. وَالتَّصْمِيت أَيْضًا التَّسْكِيت. قَالَ الْقَاضِي عِيَاض رَحِمَهُ اللَّه : مَعْنَى الْحَدِيث أَنَّ مَنْ اِلْتَزَمَ شَرَائِع الْإِسْلَام لَزِمَهُ إِكْرَام جَاره وَضَيْفه , وَبِرِّهِمَا…

Scholars’ grades

Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6018

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet. (i.e. abstain…

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6136

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep silent."

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6138

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should unite the bond of kinship (i.e. keep good relation with his kith and kin); and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should talk what is…

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6475

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt (or insult) his neighbor; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should entertain his guest generously."

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا، أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 47b

He who believes in Allah and the Last Day does not harm is neighbour, and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day shows hospitality to his guest and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day speaks good or remains silent.

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِي جَارَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 5154

He who believes in Allah and in the last day should honour his guest; he who believes in Allah and in the last day should not harm his neighbor; he who believes in Allah and in the last day should speak good or keep silence.

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ - وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

See all 19 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2500

"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him honor his guest. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him say what is good or remain silent." Other chains report similar narrations.

"‏ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 3971

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say something good, or else remain silent.”

"‏ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَسْكُتْ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 7307