Words Cut Deeper Than a Sword

Miftah Maulana resigned from his position as a special presidential staff member following the viral incident in which he mocked an iced tea peddler during the “Magelang Bersholawat” event at drh. Soepardi field, Mungkid, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. The incident has sparked public discussion about the importance of practicing proper speech etiquette.

In Islam, speaking kindly is a cornerstone of noble character and a reflection of one’s faith. The case of Miftah Maulana serves as a reminder of Al-Qur’an and Hadith teachings on the importance of maintaining good speech.

Dr. Mutohharun Jinan, M.Ag., a lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FAI) at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), stated that Islam places great emphasis on the etiquette of guarding one’s speech as part of faith. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 83, Allah says:

وَاِذۡ اَخَذۡنَا مِيۡثَاقَ بَنِىۡٓ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ لَا تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ اِلَّا اللّٰهَ وَبِالۡوَالِدَيۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا وَّذِى الۡقُرۡبٰى وَالۡيَتٰمٰى وَالۡمَسٰکِيۡنِ وَقُوۡلُوۡا لِلنَّاسِ حُسۡنًا وَّاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّکٰوةَ ؕ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلًا مِّنۡکُمۡ وَاَنۡـتُمۡ مُّعۡرِضُوۡنَ‏

“In the case of Miftah Maulana, regardless of our position or title, we must always be mindful of our words. Careless remarks can cause harm to others, as seen with the iced tea peddler,” Jinan remarked on Tuesday (24/12/2024).

Jinan further explained that Prophet Muhammad SAW provided clear guidance on this matter, as illustrated in the following hadith.

عَن أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: (مَنْ كَانَ يُؤمِنُ بِاللهِ وَاْليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْراً أَو لِيَصْمُتْ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤمِنُ بِاللهِ وَاْليَومِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، ومَنْ كَانَ يُؤمِنُ بِاللهِ واليَومِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ) رَوَاهُ اْلبُخَارِي وَمُسْلِمٌ.

“From Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu 'anhu, he said, Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak what is good or remain silent. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not harm his neighbor. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his guest.” (Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim

“Speaking kindly is an integral part of faith. If someone cannot speak with kindness, it is better for them to remain silent, as careless words can lead to significant negative consequences,” emphasized the lecturer from the FAI UMS.

“Alhamdulillah, Sunhaji, the iced tea seller who was the target of Miftah Maulana's unwise remarks, has demonstrated admirable resilience and patience,” Jinan added.

Jinan explained that when someone slips in their speech, they can unintentionally become a tool for Satan to create rift and conflict. “Satan is always seeking opportunities to sow discord among humans, and one of the easiest entry points is through harmful words,” he said.

Even Allah has warned us in Surah Al-Isra, verse 53, which states:

وَقُلْ لِّعِبَادِىۡ يَقُوۡلُوا الَّتِىۡ هِىَ اَحۡسَنُ​ؕ اِنَّ الشَّيۡطٰنَ يَنۡزَغُ بَيۡنَهُمۡ​ؕ اِنَّ الشَّيۡطٰنَ كَانَ لِلۡاِنۡسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِيۡنًا‏ 

Tell My ˹believing˺ servants to say only what is best. Satan certainly seeks to sow discord among them. Satan is indeed a sworn enemy to humankind.

Jinan explained that the etiquette of guarding one's speech is a key indicator of whether a person is following the guidance of Allah. In contrast, uncontrolled speech reflects the potential for a person to stray from the right path.

He highlighted that the digital era brings new challenges in maintaining thoughtful speech. Social media, while providing a platform for self-expression, is often misused to spread hate speech, slander, and negative comments, a trend he deeply regretted.

“We must also learn ethics for communication on social media. When expressing symbols or statements in the digital world, we must be extremely cautious. Just because we have the ability to type or speak doesn’t mean we should say whatever we want,” Jinan emphasized.

The Vice Dean III of FAI UMS emphasized the importance of ensuring that our words bring value in every interaction, whether face-to-face or on social media. He cited the saying, “Word cut deeper than sword” Our words reflect who we are. By choosing kind and thoughtful speech, we can create a more harmonious and peaceful society, in accordance with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva