ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Life under the Grace of Ethics First step in purification of ethic after familiarity with alphabet of this science Tongue is interpreter of heart and key of personality Correction of tongue and speech plays a role of major importance in moral discussions because tongue is the interpreter of heart, representative of intellect, key of man's personality, and the most important window to man's soul.

In the other words, what is depicted on the tablet of man's soul (including mental, emotional and sentimental events), first of all emerges on the tongue and within his speech. If in the past, physicians recognized a major part of moderation and unbalance of temperament through the condition of tongue, nowadays psychoanalysts mostly seek mental problems within the individuals' speech.

On these accounts, ethic scholars consider a special importance for correction of tongue and deem its correction as the sign of spirit's perfection and strengthening of prominent moral virtues and habits. This reality is also stated in the traditions of the Prophet's House (A.S.) in short and interesting phrases. Two following phrases narrated respectively from Imam Ali (A.S.) and Imam As-Sadiq (A.S.) is an evidence for this claim: 1- Man is hidden under his tongue.

[^1] «اَلْمَرْءُ مَخْبُوءٌ تَحْتَ لِسانِهِ». That is to say not only scientific personality, but also moral and social personality and in general his humanistic personality is under his tongue, and as long as he has not spoken, his fault and virtue is concealed.

2- Firmness and straightness of belief is not possible without firmness and straightness of heart, and the latter too will not exist without firmness and straightness of tongue.[^2] «لا یَسْتَقِیمُ اِیمانُ عَبْد حَتّى یَسْتَقِیمَ قَلْبُهُ، وَ لا یَسْتَقِیمُ قَلْبُهُ حَتّى یَسْتَقِیمَ لِسانُهُ». Thirty great sins, which originate from tongue The importance of correction of tongue is made clearer when we know that a large part of sins as a large part of good deeds are performed by tongue.

Ghazali has narrated twenty types of vices and sins for tongue as follows: 1- Speaking about the affairs not concerned with man. 2- Rant and babbling 3- Speaking about forbidden affairs like description of meetings of wine, gambling and unchaste women. 4- Dispute and fussing (caviling and objecting others for wrong purposes as humiliating them or one's own pedantry).

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