Chapter 6 : Sweetness in Speech

 

Sweetness in Speech  

“A true Muslim is one who does not hurt another by his words or by his actions.” - Hadith

Once there was a man and a dog in a lift.  Another man entered the lift later. 

The second man asked the first man asked the first man , “Does your dog bite?”

The first man replied, “No my dog doesn’t bite”. A while after, the dog in the lift bit the second man. The second man remarked “ How come..... you said your dog doesn’t bite…but it bit me”.

The first man replied, “This is not my dog”. 

………..

In another incident, a man said, “My dog bit my wife”.

The man who heard this asked “What did you do?”

The first man replied “I bought the dog tasty biscuits “

These are just to show the reader the power of wit.

.................

Some poor people approached the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him” The rich give in charity. We do not have any money. But we have the heart to do charity. How do we give in charity?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied “There are many types of charity. Even feeding your wife by hand is charity. Removing thorns from path is also charity “

Additionally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Visiting the ill and offering them words of comfort is a good deed”. Offering words of solace and comfort to the ill and sick people will give them hope and happiness.

Similarly, talking in a respectful and loving manner to the less privileged will create amity between us and them. Talking in a comforting manner to those who are suffering will bring relief to them.

It is important to speak Tamil clearly in a good manner, so that others can understand. (Tamil is a beautiful language with its own dialectical nuances )

 

A few years ago, I was travelling in Chennai by bus. A woman from the south of Tamil Nadu boarded the bus. She gave a 50 rupee note to the bus conductor and asked for a ticket. The bus conductor replied that he didn’t have change to pay the woman after deducting the ticket fare. Immediately the woman said “It’s ok .. give me later” (in southern districts of Tamil Nadu the dialect varies from the northern districts .. the Tamil dialect word paiya means bag in northern dialect and additionally slowly or later in southern dialect)

What the lady meant as later the bus conductor (mis) understood as bag and got offended. He went into a verbal fight with her “How many of you have started like this to rob?”

I intervened and explained the dialectical differences; the bus conductor understood and was pacified, and he apologized to the lady.

What I would like to comment regarding this is the words we speak must be clear and enjoyable.

Sweet conversation is a rung to help us succeed in our efforts.