THE DAILY ISLAMIC REMINDERS. Yaum Al-ithnayn, 2nd day of Zul Hijjah (Monday, 13th August 2018). PROTECTION OF THE TONGUE. BismilLaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. The last and final in the chain of Messengers to mankind Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has given us golden principles and comprehensive rules to live by, which are a key to our over all success in both the worlds. These rules pertain to both, the realm of worship and the domain of social life. Today, I invite your attention to certain social ills, which are rampant in our society and we not only have become insensitive towards them, but also practice them day and night without thinking that by doing so we are disobeying ALLAH (SWT) and HIS Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam). One among those ills is ‘backbiting’. It means that you say something about someone in his/her absence which he/she wouldn’t like if said in his/her presence. It doesn’t matter if the mentioned shortcoming or flaw is true or false. If it is true then it is back biting, if false then it is an accusation, which also is a grave sin. Slander, and the making of false accusations, are considered to be major sins in Islam. This involves fabricating or spreading a lie about your brother (Another Muslim) in his absence. The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Do you know what is gheebah (Backbiting)? They said: "Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) KNOWs best. He (peace be upon him) said, "Mentioning about your brother what he would hate (in his absence)'. It was said: 'What about if what I say about my brother is true?' He (peace be upon him) said: "If in him is what you say you would have backbited him, and if it is not in him. then he is slandered (Buhtaan)."[Imam Muslim]. Of course, slander is a more heinous sin than backbiting, since it involves not only backbiting but also lying with intent to maliciously dishonor a Muslim. The Messenger (peace be upon him) also said: "...And whoever knowingly argues uselessly, Allah will continue to be angry with Him until he refrains from it, and whoever says about a believer, that which is not in him Allah will house him in a mill of the people of the fire of Jahannam until he leaves off what he said ..."[Abu Dawood, Al-Haakim & others]. Backbiting and slandering are both major sins in Islam, and the one who does not cease from it and repent, would be punished severely in the grave. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "...On the night that I was taken (to Jerusalem and up to the heavens), I saw a set of people who were (being punished by) taking their own finger-nails (which were long and metallic) and scraping the flesh of their own faces (and eating it). When I asked Jibreel about them, he said: 'these are people who used to be engaged in backbiting'."[Ibn Abi Duniya- Kitaab Al-Ghiba wan Nameemah]. May ALLAH protect us from slandering and forgive those who does so ignorantly. Aameen. May ALLAH keep guiding us and protect us from any act of disobedience to HIM. Aameen.