The Fast of the Tongue
Ramadan Reflection Day 10 begins with a warning.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari
Fasting is not hunger alone.
It is restraint of the tongue.
Words can wound deeper than hunger.
Speech can inflame faster than appetite.
Ramadan demands silence where ego wants reaction.
Public Speech in a Heated Society
Nigeria’s public space is often loud.
Political arguments escalate quickly. Social media magnifies outrage. Rumours travel faster than verification.
Ramadan offers interruption.
It inserts pause between impulse and expression.
Before posting.
Before responding.
Before accusing.
The fast should filter speech.
If hunger irritates, discipline must intervene.
Rhetoric and Responsibility
Ramadan Reflection Day 10 asks:
Does fasting soften tone?
Controlled speech is not weakness. It is authority under discipline.
The Qur’an instructs believers in Surah Al-Isra (17:53):
“Tell My servants to say that which is best.”
Not that which is cleverest.
Not that which is loudest.
That which is best.
Public conduct shapes national culture.
If speech becomes reckless, trust erodes.
If dialogue becomes abusive, unity fractures.
Ramadan invites dignity.
Social Media and Moral Restraint
In the digital age, the tongue extends to the keyboard.
Posts. Comments. Shares. Retweets.
Ramadan must reach screens.
If fasting does not reduce hostility online, then discipline has not expanded far enough.
The believer who says, “I am fasting,” is declaring control.
That control must apply to timelines as well as conversations.
The Discipline That Builds Civilisation
Civilisation rests on measured speech.
Justice requires careful language. Leadership requires responsible rhetoric.
Ramadan Reflection Day 10 reminds us:
Fasting is incomplete if the tongue remains unexamined.
The strongest society is not the loudest.
It is the most restrained.
And sometimes, the most powerful statement is silence.