answered in the court of Allah Almighty due to it. Let us listen to a contemplative parable in this relation.

Harm of tale-telling

Sayyiduna Ka’b-ul-Ahbaar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ narrates that once, a severe drought struck during the time of Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام. He عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام made Du’a for rain along with Bani Israel but it did not rain. He عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام kept this practice for three days but it still did not rain. Then a revelation was revealed by Allah Almighty: ‘O, Musa! I will not accept your Du’a and of those who are with you, because there is a tale-teller among them.’ Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام humbly asked: ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Who is he so we can leave him out?’ Allah Almighty replied: ‘O Musa! I even stop people from it [tale-telling].’ Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام commanded Bani Israel that all of you should repent in the court of Allah Almighty from tale-telling. When all of them repented, then Allah Almighty blessed them with rain. (Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 1, pp. 407)

A small piece of flesh

Dear Islamic sisters! You have heard that tale-telling is such an evil act that its ill-effect is not only limited to the tale-teller herself but also makes other people face difficulties as well. Therefore, we shall immensely strive to keep our tongue pure from not only tale-telling but every kind of evil. The tongue is apparently a very small piece of flesh but it is a great blessing of Allah Almighty. Right usage of the tongue can make a person enter Paradise and ill usage of it can make a person enter Hell. The one who uses her tongue to recite the Holy Quran and Salat and Salam enters Paradise with the mercy of Allah Almighty.

The one who uses her tongue to swear at Muslims, backbite, tell-tales, or blame others becomes deserving of the punishment of Hell. If a non-believer recites ‘لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللہ (صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم)’ wholeheartedly, then she gets purified from the filth of Kufr and Shirk [polytheism]. The utterance of this phrase from her tongue removes the filth of all her previous sins. The utterance of this blessed Kalimah from her tongue makes her pure from sins the way she was pure the day she was born. This great Madani reformation took place through the