Understanding Profane Language
Profanity is defined as “a lack of shame; it is said to be crude in expression, and one is termed as having a vulgar tongue.”
Being profane reflects poor character; a profane person has no sense of shame.
Prophetic Narrations Against Profanity
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against using the tongue in ways that could harm a Muslim, both in this world and the Hereafter. Numerous hadiths address this subject, including:
- The Prophet said: “A believer is not one who insults others, nor curses, nor is impolite, nor engages in lewdness.”
- He also stated: “Modesty stems from faith, and faith leads to Paradise, while vulgarity is associated with harshness, and harshness leads to the Fire.”
- The Prophet said: “Among the heaviest things placed on a believer’s scale on the Day of Judgment is good character, and Allah detests the vulgar and the lewd.”
- He advised: “Beware of vulgarity, for Allah does not love obscenity or immorality.”
- The Prophet remarked: “O Aisha, the worst of people is one whom others avoid due to his lewdness.”
- He also instructed: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak good or remain silent.”
- The Prophet said: “Cursing a Muslim is an act of immorality, and fighting him is disbelief.”
- He mentioned: “It is inappropriate for a true friend to be one who curses.”
Profanity as a Vice of the Tongue
Profanity is considered one of the vices of the tongue and a major sin prohibited in Islam. It fundamentally contradicts modesty and the teachings of this religion that encourage virtues, good morals, and respectful interactions with others. The drawbacks of careless speech can be severe and detrimental.
Words can lead a person to destruction without their awareness, invoking God’s wrath due to their statements, which may ultimately lead to Hellfire—may Allah protect us. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned: “A servant might utter a word that causes him to fall into the Fire farther than the distance between the east and the west.”
Thus, it is essential for a Muslim to be vigilant about the words they speak, recognizing that no word is trivial and that they are accountable for everything they say, as emphasized in the Qur’an: “Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him, ready (to record it).”
Quranic Verses Against Profane Language
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah Almighty has prohibited lewd speech and all vices of the tongue, commanding believers to protect their tongues from obscene language and anything that may harm others. Among these verses are the following:
- Allah says: “And when they pass by ill speech, they pass by with dignity.”
- Allah has stated: “Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged; and ever is Allah Hearing and Knowing.”
- Allah commands: “O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.”
- Allah advises: “O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.”