English Translation

Hadrat Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be well pleased with him) narrated: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, inform me of a deed that will admit me into Paradise and keep me away from Hell." He stated: «You have asked about a great matter, but it is easy for the one for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the prayer, give the zakat, fast Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the House.» Then he stated: «Shall I not direct you to the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and a person's prayer in the depths of the night.» Then he recited: «Their sides forsake their beds...» until he reached: «...what they used to do.» Then he stated: «Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter, its pillar, and its peak?» I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He stated: «The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is the prayer, and its peak is jihad.» Then he stated: «Shall I not inform you of what controls all of that?» I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He took hold of his tongue and stated: «Restrain this.» I said: "O Prophet of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?" He stated: «May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu'adh! Is there anything that topples people into the Fire on their faces — or he said: on their noses — except the harvests of their tongues?»