English Translation

Hadrat Muadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be well pleased with him) narrated: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that will admit me into Paradise and keep me far from the Fire." He stated: «You have asked about a tremendous matter, yet it is easy for one for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the prayer, give the zakat, fast Ramadan, and perform the pilgrimage to the House.» Then he stated: «Shall I not guide you to the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and the prayer of a man in the depths of the night.» Then he recited: 'Their sides forsake their beds' until he reached 'they used to do.' Then he stated: «Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter, its pillar, and its peak?» I said: "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." He stated: «The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is the prayer, and its peak is jihad.» Then he stated: «Shall I not inform you of what controls all of that?» I said: "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." So he took hold of his tongue and said: «Restrain this.» I said: "O Prophet of Allah, will we be taken to account for what we say?" He stated: «May your mother be bereft of you, O Muadh! Is there anything that topples people into the Fire upon their faces — or he said: upon their noses — except the harvests of their tongues?»