Use Your Words

You know what? Your words matter.

We all know this hadith: “Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart—and that is the weakest of faith.”

Many of us feel immobilized and unable to act in these times. But we should remember that even when we cannot physically stop evil, we still have our words.

Our words are important and weighty. They can impact change, and they can increase our scale of good deeds.

Here are some ways we can use our words for good:

• Words of supplication: They are the essence of worship, and they reach the heavens!
• Words of praise: Each of these plants a tree for us in Jannah.
• Words of recitation: The Qur’an is the best of speech and contains the best of stories--and each letter you recite is worth ten good deeds!
• Words of comfort and inspiration: Every act of kindness is charity, and words are a big part of showing kindness.
• Enjoining good and forbidding evil: This is an essential quality of the believer, as the Qur’an says many times.

Let’s dust ourselves off and use our words—whether spoken or written—for good. Your words matter. Make them count.