The purpose of this book is to define what the Muslim way of speaking means, and to point out that it is a way of speaking according to one's conscience, followed in every moment of a person's life. But, in addition to this, its basic aim is to warn people against a difficult day and to remind them that they should utter every word carefully, in consideration that they will recompensed in the afterlife for everything they had done and said. In the Qur'an, Allah calls on people to heed Him, so as to not become immersed in doubt about their meeting with Him, nor to forget that He encompasses and surrounds them wherever they are.
If a person abandons due care in accordance with the Qur'an, Satan tries to benefit from the situation and drive him into despair, by making him forget the remembrance of Allah. For this reason, Allah points out that a person must be clearly aware and must take care in light of Satan's attempts, in this verse of the Qur'an: "Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Such people are the party of Satan. No indeed! It is the party of Satan who are the losers." (Surat al-Mujadala: 19)
People may employ the power of speech, which Allah has given them, as they wish, with faithful care, or with Satanic-inspired carelessness. If they are of those who neglect to remember Allah, and falter into heedlessness, those words they had spoken, over a period of probably decades, will have no other effect than to result in punishment in the afterlife. Words they will not even remember when, where and to whom they spoke them to, are recorded in Allah's sight, and will be set before them, one by one:
The Book will be set in place and you will see the evildoers fearful of what is in it. They will say, "Alas for us! What is this Book which does not pass over any action, small or great, without recording it?" They will find there everything they did and your Lord will not wrong anyone at all. (Surat al-Kahf, 49)
If those who are doubtful about the afterlife try to reinterpret, conceal or change their words on the Day of Judgment, it will be of no use to them. At that time, Allah will order their skins and their senses of hearing and sight to confess every word they spoke in the life of the world:
They will ask their skins, "Why did you testify against us?" and they will reply, "Allah gave us speech as He has given speech to everything. He created you in the first place and you will be returned to Him. You did not think to shield yourselves from your hearing, sight and skin testifying against you and you thought that Allah would never know much of what you did." (Surah Fussilat, 21-22)
On the day when they see the terrible punishment, they will be able to speak but will be able to express anything but regret:
They will say, "If only we had really listened and used our intellect, we would not have been Companions of the Blaze." Then they will acknowledge their wrong actions. Away with the Companions of the Blaze. (Surat al-Mulk, 10-11)
If only you could see when they are standing before the Fire and saying, "Oh! If only we could be sent back again, we would not deny the Signs of our Lord and we would be among the believers." (Surat al-An'am, 27)
In the life of this world, these people were granted a unique opportunity to believe in Allah, and remember and exalt His Name, but they spoke only with obstinacy and rebellion. They were warned and called upon time after time to speak well but they turned away their faces. On that day, even if they wanted to return to it, they will no longer have this opportunity. They will be brought to a state where they cannot say even a single word on the side of good to earn Allah's approval. On that day, Allah will no longer grant them the power of speech.
The Word will be carried out against them for the wrong they did and they will not speak. (Surat an-Naml, 85)
On that Day, woe to the deniers! This is the Day they will not say a single word, nor will they be allowed to offer any excuses. On that Day, woe to the deniers! (Surat al-Mursalat, 34-37)
While these people who follow Satan and forget the remembrance of Allah will meet with punishment as their reward, Muslims who aim with every act and every word to earn the approval of Allah will attain eternity and will be established in Paradise. Knowing that they will be called to give account on the Day of Judgment, they will have left only fine words for their records.
As we are told in the following verse of the Qur'an, "Do you do not see how Allah makes a metaphor of a good word: a good tree whose roots are firm and whose branches are in heaven? It bears fruit regularly by its Lord's permission. Allah makes metaphors for people so that hopefully they will pay heed." (Surah Ibrahim: 24-25) fine speech is like a tree, which continually bears fruit and brings forth blessings. It will definitely meet with the finest rewards in Allah's sight.
There are great differences in terms of the rewards which those who speak in the way of the Muslims will receive in the afterlife, compared with those who speak carelessly. The aim of this book, from its beginning to now, has been to point out the extent to which speech will affect a person's afterlife, and to call upon people to take care in this matter.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an that the words of a Muslim's speech are the finest and most acceptable in the following manner:
Who speaks anything better than the one who summons to Allah, acts righteously, and says, "I am among those who submit to Allah"?(Surah Fussilat, 33)