Ṣamt
Definition
Samt — deliberate silence — is al-Ghazali's primary prescription for the tongue's diseases: when in doubt about whether speech is beneficial, remain silent. He presents silence not as passivity but as an active spiritual discipline — the person who governs their tongue by maintaining deliberate silence in moments when speech would be doubtful, harmful, or simply unnecessary is exercising one of the most powerful tools of spiritual protection available. The Prophet ﷺ practised long silences and advised his companions to keep their tongues in check; al-Ghazali argues that this practice alone would eliminate the vast majority of tongue-sins from the lives of most Muslims.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Ṣamt.
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"This relates to the two women who engaged in backbiting during their fast, resulting in each vomiting a clot of blood. It was recorded by Ibn Abi al-Dunya in Al-Samt and Ibn Mardawayh in his Tafsir from a narration by Yazid al-Rakashi, who is weak. The hadith of the mentioned women, which includes: "These two abstained from what God allowed them and broke their fast on what He prohibited," was documented by Ahmad from a hadith of Ubayd, the servant of the Messenger of God, where an unnamed man is present, and it was recorded by Abu Ya'la omitting the mention of the accused man."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 24: Evils of the Tongue
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"is reported by Tirmidhi, who called it strange. It was also narrated by Ibn Abi Dunya in "As-Samt" with a weak chain of transmission. The hadith about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) missing Ka’b and learning he was ill, with the possibility that Ka’b spoke of what did not concern him or withheld what did not benefit him, is reported by Ibn Abi Dunya from Ka’b ibn Ujrah with a good chain, although there seems to be a disconnect between the companion and the narrator."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 24: Evils of the Tongue
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"There is a narration where a man's testimony was refused because of a lie he told. This was narrated by Ibn Abi Dunya in "Al-Samt" from Musa ibn Shiba as mursal, and Musa narrated from Ma'mar something significant, as mentioned by Ahmad ibn Hanbal. The hadith "A believer may have any characteristic except treachery and lying" was narrated by Ibn Abi Shayba from Abu Umamah and by Ibn Adi from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and Ibn Umar."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 24: Evils of the Tongue
Appears in
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