The Danger of the Tongue and Heart Connection
The tongue is among the organs that most quickly corrupt a person’s spiritual health and lead them to sin. Not knowing the limits of speech, unnecessary talking, are among the greatest calamities that darken the heart. Those who are masters of the heart, the gnostics, have made constant silence a habit; they only speak when their hearts compel them to express truths. As Attar narrates, great saints pointed out the destructive power of the tongue by saying, “A person should pay more attention to his tongue than the ground he steps on!” The divine light in the heart of someone who constantly engages in idle talk gradually diminishes.
The Fasting of the Tongue and Protecting the Inner Self
Silence is not merely refraining from speaking, but also nourishing the inner world with contemplation. “The most fortified castle is guarding the tongue.” If a person’s speech does not contain contemplation, it is heedlessness; if their silence is not contemplation, then that too is sleep. The seeker who wants to hear the manifestations of God in his heart must tightly close his mouth to gossip, lies, and empty claims. The state of piety (abstaining from prohibitions) in the tongue is more valuable than silver or mercury.
Speaking Only of God
In Sufism, silence encompasses speaking the truth when necessary for God’s sake. If there is oppression present or if enjoining good and forbidding evil is required, then speaking at that moment is an act of worship; otherwise, superfluous talk is a theft from one’s own spirituality. When a true gnostic falls silent, his purpose is to speak with God (heartfelt); when he closes his eyes, it is to contemplate Allah. The more a person restrains their tongue, the more their heart’s ear opens to divine inspirations and secrets.