FOR GOD’S SAKE, HOLD THY TONGUE SUMMARY

The tongue has the power to do good or evil to others. Backbiting is common among people. Even the religions books admonish the people who backbite. The Quran strongly condemns scandal-mongering and character assassination. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that the similitude of a person who indulges in backbiting is to a man who has eaten the flesh of his dead brother. The Bible says that a person with a good tongue is a perfect man. The Gita says that a man free from the habit of backbiting is born to god-like endowments. And the Guru Granth says that a back bitter carries a great burden of sins. Lord Buddha says that one requires living a life based on right speech.

Rabbi Simeon Ben Gamaliel once asked his servant to bring him something good to eat. The servant brought a tongue for him. The next time the Rabi asked him to bring something that was not good. The servant again brought a tongue. The Rabi was angry with his servant for bringing a tongue on both occasions. The servant explained that there was nothing better than a good tongue and nothing worse than an evil one.

Questions and Answers

1. What do the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet (PBUH) tell us on backbiting and scandal-mongering?

Ans. The Quran strongly condemns those who indulge in backbiting and scandal-mongering and admonishes them. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said that a person who indulges in backbiting is like a man who has eaten the flesh of his dead brother.

2) What do the Gita and the Bible tell us on backbiting?

Ans. The Gita tells that a person free from the habit of backbiting is like God. The Bible says that a person free from the habit of backbiting is a perfect man having control over his whole body.

3) What do the Granth Sahib and Lord Buddha tell us on backbiting?

Ans. The Granth Sahib tells us that a backbiter carries a great burden of sins. Lord Buddha lays stresses on right speech as a path towards salvation.

4) Why did the servant of Rabbi Simeon bring tongues both the times?

Ans. There is nothing better than a good tongue and nothing worse than an evil one. That is why the servant brought tongues on both occasions.

5) Why did Rabbi Simeon invite his disciples for a meal?

Ans. Rabbi Simeon invited his disciples for a meal to teach them the value of having a soft tongue.

6) What according to you is the moral of the lesson?

Ans. The moral of the lesson is that we should not speak ill of others behind their backs.

7) How does our tongue do good or bad to others?

Ans. The tongue issues the good as well as the bad. The tongue speaks good if one holds it and does not speak badly about others. It proves to be bad if it is given liberty.

Language Work

Add the correct ending to each of the following words and say what each person does or is connected with.

1. govern: governor = one who governs

2. cater: caterer = one who provides food or drink for a social or business function

3. translate: Translator = One who translates writing or speech from one language to another

4. Novel: Novelist = a person who writes novels

5. Tour: tourist = a person who visits a place for pleasure and interest

6. Politics: politician = a person whose job is in politics

7. Decorate: decorator= a person who decorates the inside of the people’s houses

8. Art: artists = An artist is a performer or someone who draws or paints pictures.

9. Economics: economist = An economist is a person who studies, teaches or writes about economics

10. Drama: Dramatist = A person who writes plays

11. Cricket: cricketer = a person who plays cricket

12. Engine: engineer = a person who uses scientific knowledge to design, construct and maintain engines or structures such as roads, railways, and bridges.

13. History: historian = A person who specializes in the study of history.

14. Mountain: mountaineer = a person who climbs mountains

15. Donate donator = Someone who gives something to a charity.

16. Grammar: Grammarian = A person who studies grammar and writes books about it.

17. Auction: auctioneer = a person in charge of an auction

18. Science: scientist = A person who does research in science

19. Teach: teacher = a person who teaches

20. Electricity: electrician = a person who job is to install and repair electrical equipment

21. Physics: Physicist = A person who does research connected with physics.

22. Write writer = a person who writes books etc.

23. Speak: speaker = a person who makes a speech at a gathering

24. Win: winner = a person who wins a contest or a competition

25. mathematics = Mathematician = A person who is trained in mathematics.

Grammar Work

Complete each sentence with an adverb. The first letters of the adverb are given.

1. We didn’t go out because it was raining he……

2. Our team lost the game because we played very ba…..

3. I had little difficulty finding a place to live. I found a flat eas……

4. We had to wait for a long time, but we didn’t complain. We waited pat……

5. Nobody knew Atif was coming to see us. He arrived in unex…….

6. Zeeshan keeps fit by playing tennis reg……

7. I don’t speak Punjabi very well, but I can understand it per…..if spoken sl……and cl……

Ans. (1) Heavily; (2) Badly; (3) Easily; (4) Patiently; (5) Unexpectedly; (6) Regularly; (7) Perfectly, slowly and clearly.

Put in the correct word.

1. Two people were seriously injured in the accident.

(serious/seriously)

1. The driver of the car had _________ injuries, (serious/seriously) 3. I think you behaved very__________ (selfish/selfishly)

2. Razia is__________ upset about losing her job.(terrible/terribly)

3. There was a______ change in the weather. (sudden/suddenly)

4. Everybody at the marriage party was ______ dressed.

(colourful/colourfully)

1. Aslam speaks English _________ (fluent/fluently)

2. Ved Sir fell and hurt himself quite ____________ (bad/badly)

3. Hafeez didn’t do well at school because he was taught __________ (bad/badly)

4. Don’t go up that ladder. it doesn’t look _________

(safe/safely)

Ans. (1) Seriously; (2) Serious; (3) Selfishly; (4) Terribly; (5) Sudden; (6) Colourfully; (7) Fluently; (8) Badly; (9) Badly; (10) Safe.

Let’s Write

Backbiting is an evil which causes damage to our own self as well as the society. Mention some other such evils and write about them in a paragraph.

Superstitions are beliefs which are irrational and unscientific. Man has so many beliefs which are nothing but superstitions. These are relics of the ancient times when people were uncivilized and ignorance prevailed among men. They felt awe in the presence of mysterious and mighty forces of Nature and they worshipped all those things which were greater and stronger than them. Whenever they found anything happening in Nature, they tried to give some explanation for it. This explanation was not based on reasoning and naturally, this led to blind faith and superstitions. People had many blind beliefs out of fear or ignorance. All these foolish practices are resorted to, though there is no explanation for them. Fear of misfortune or expectation of good fortune makes us believe superstitions. Superstitions do us great harm. They hinder our power of judgment and cripple our power of reasoning. They are a great obstacle to the development and growth of our spirit. They destroy self-confidence and encourage fatalism. Superstitions burden and weaken the mind. A superstitious man lives in daily fear of bad omens. He waits for a lucky sign before he starts doing something. Many men waste their time and energy in making calculations of lucky and unlucky days. Thus superstitions stand in the way of progress. They have done more harm than good. Of course, superstitions have gone deep into our blood, but we must try to get rid of them. We should have a rational and scientific attitude towards life.

YOU CAN ALSO CHECK THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING

Questions and Answers

Q. 1. What do the Quran and the traditions of Prophet (PBUH) tell us on backbiting and scandal-mongering?
Ans: The Quran says:

Woe to every (kind of) scandal-monger and backbiter.

The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that the similitude of a person who indulges in backbiting is to a man who has eaten the flesh of his dead brother.

Q. 2. What do the Gita and the Bible tell us on backbiting?

Ans: The Gita says:-

Freedom from fear, purity of heart, perseverance in (pursuit of) knowledge, freedom from the habit of backbiting, compassion for (all) beings, freedom from avarice are his who is born to god-like endowments.

Ostentation, pride are his who is born to demoniac endowments.

The Bible says:-

For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body.

Q. 3. What do the Granth Sahib and Lord Buddha tell us on backbiting?

Ans: The Guru Granth Sahib says:-

The slanderer carries the great burden of sins, without payment he carries loads.

Lord Buddha in his Eightfold Path says:-

One requires living a life based on right speech.

Q. 4. Why did the servant of Rabbi Simeon bring tongues both the times?

Ans: The servant of Rabbi Simeon brought tongues both the times because he believed that the tongue issues the good and also the bad. There is nothing better than a good tongue and nothing worse than an evil one.

Q. 5. Why did Rabbi Simeon invite his disciples for a meal?

Ans: Rabbi Simeon invited his disciples for a meal because he wanted to teach them the virtues and vices that a tongue can do.

Q. 6. What according to you is the moral of the lesson?

Ans: The moral of the lesson is that we should refrain from backbiting and scandal-mongering for the injuries caused by the tongue are the hardest ones to heal. We should always be polite and humble in our attitude toward others.

Q. 7. How does our tongue do good or bad to others?

Ans: Our tongue by being polite can please others and bring a smile on other’s face. A tongue has the power to make a sad person happy but the same can prove disastrous as well. It can hurt the other person so deeply that he will always remember our rude remarks. By insulting, and speaking ill of others, we leave an ugly scar in their hearts that always pricks them.