Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Sir Assalamualaikum,

I would like to know about speaking in a loud manner, how good & how bad it is in the light Islam as according to my poor information it is as bad to Allah as the voice of a donkey.

Please clarify to me, Allah will give you its Ajr.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Speaking aloud discouraged

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verses 16-19:

16 "O my son!" (said Luqman) "If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth: for Allah understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

17 O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just and forbid what is wrong, and bear with patient constancy whatever betide thee; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs.

18 And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loves not any arrogant boaster.

19 And be moderate in thy pace, and lower thy voice; for the harshest of sounds (in the Sight of Allah) without doubt, is (like) the braying of the donkey."

Your Question: I would like to know about speaking in a loud manner, how good & how bad it is in the light Islam as according to my poor information it is as bad to Allah as the voice of a donkey.

Islam guides that the weight in one’s speech should be derived from the truth, the logic, the wisdom, and the intelligence of its content rather than through the raising of its decibels. More often than not, one whose speech or the content of its argument is devoid of the truth, or logic, or wisdom, or intelligence strives to give weight to one’s speech by raising one’s voice over another’s……similarly one who is proud and arrogant and looks down upon others, who believes that his word and his speech alone should be heard regardless of whether or not it is devoid of truth or wisdom….such raising of one’s voice in pride and in falsehood is absolutely detested by Allah Subhanah.

The similitude of the despicable sound made by the braying of the donkey related by Allah Subhanah is extremely apt….many amongst the animal kingdom and birds make an inherently beautiful and melodious sound, but as is only natural with the essence of being a donkey, it disregards the beauty and melody of the sounds made by the other animals, and insists on raising its contemptible braying above all the other sounds!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan