The Hadith
Muadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action that will admit me into Paradise and keep me away from the Fire.”
He said:
“You have asked about something great, yet it is easy for the one for whom Allah makes it easy.
Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him.
Establish prayer.
Give zakah.
Fast Ramadan.
Perform pilgrimage to the House.”
Then he said:
“Shall I not guide you to the gates of goodness?
Fasting is a shield.
Charity extinguishes sin just as water extinguishes fire.
The prayer of a man in the depths of the night.”
Then he recited:
“They forsake their beds…” (Qur’an 32:16–17).
Then he said:
“Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter, its pillar, and its peak?
The head of the matter is Islam.
Its pillar is prayer.
Its peak is jihad.”
Then he said:
“Shall I not tell you of the foundation of all that?”
I said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.”
So he took hold of his tongue and said:
“Restrain this.”
I said: “O Prophet of Allah, will we really be held accountable for what we say?”
He said:
“May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu’adh! Are people thrown into the Fire on their faces — or on their noses — except because of the harvest of their tongues?”
Reference
Reported by at-Tirmidhi, who said: It is a hasan sahih hadith.
Explanation (From Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan)
In this hadith Muadh ibn Jabal asked the Prophet about actions that would admit a person into Paradise and keep him away from the Fire.
The Prophet replied that Muadh had asked about something great, but it is easy for the one for whom Allah makes it easy.
He then mentioned the fundamental acts of worship: worshiping Allah alone without associating partners with Him, establishing prayer, giving zakah, fasting Ramadan, and performing pilgrimage.
The Prophet then mentioned the gates of goodness, including fasting, charity, and the prayer of a person during the night.
He then explained the structure of the religion by saying that the head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is prayer, and its peak is jihad.
After that, the Prophet emphasized the importance of controlling the tongue by taking hold of his own tongue and instructing Muadh to restrain it.
When Muadh asked whether people would be held accountable for their speech, the Prophet explained that many people are thrown into the Fire because of what their tongues earn.
References
The Explanation of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith: Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan. Dar Makkah International.
Verified on 2026-10-21 against: The Explanation of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith (Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan), Hadith 29.