Taking into account the above risks caused by leaving tongue free, ethic scholars have deemed silence, in cases that speaking is not necessary, as one of the ways for prevention of those great risks, and a lot of traditions are mentioned about it from Prophet S.A. and Prophet's House A.S., and this is the reason why a number of great men have started purification of their carnal soul from this matter.
Moreover, silence causes a condition of reflection and spirituality and clear-sightedness, which is noteworthy, and perhaps for this reason we read in the biography of Zachariah, God's great prophet that three days of his silence and dumbness was put as the sign of fulfillment of his supplication concerning request for child:
قالَ آیَتُکَ اَلاّ تُکَلِّمَ النّاسَ ثَلاثَ لَیال سَوِیّاً).
Said: Thy sign is that thou shalt not speak to men, though being without fault, for three nights.
And Mary was ordered to vow silence fast:
فَقُولِى اِنِّی نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمنِ صَوْماً فَلَنْ اُکَلِّمَ الْیَوْمَ اِنْسِیّاً).
Say: I have vowed to the All-merciful a fast, and today I will not speak to any man.
We read about the states of Islam's Prophet S.A. that before revelation, he has been silent and reflected, and meditated about the mysteries of creation in Hara cave for several days.
We can summarize advantages of silence in following affairs:
1- Silence insures man against a lot of sins. Prophet S.A. says in his short and meaningful phrase:
«مَنْ صَمَتَ نَجا».
Whosoever mums is saved.
The reason for this issue is clear, because most of sins are performed by tongue. As Prophet S.A. says:
«اِنَّ اَکْثَرَ خَطایَا ابْنِ آدَمَ فِی لِسانِهِ».
Most of man's mistakes are in his tongue.
And it is narrated from the Prophet in another tradition:
«اُخْزُنْ لِسانَکَ اِلاّ مِنَ الْخَیْرِ فَاِنَّکَ بِذلِکَ تَغْلِبُ الشَّیْطانَ».
Keep your tongue save a good utterance and thereby you will overcome Satan.
2- Silence invites man to thinking and reflection which are the sources of his spiritual life, and thus silent people are typically thinker, resourceful, and man of action. In contrast, talkative people are often frail and show less action.
It is narrated in a tradition from Prophet S.A.:
«اِذا رَأَیْتُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَ صَمُوتاً وَقُوراً فَادْنُوا مِنْهُ فَاِنَّهُ یُلْقِی الحِکْمَةَ».
When you find a believer silent and courtly, contact with him that he teaches you wisdom.
And also it is narrated from Imam Ali A.S.:
«اِذا تَمَّ الْعَقْلُ نَقَصَ الْکَلامُ».
As intelligence increases, speech decreases.
In addition to the fact that silence is the best means for reviving reflection power, above phrase may refer to this point that a plenty of mental powers are used for speaking. When these energies are saved, they will form a massive power by which understanding great realities is possible. Furthermore, silence is tranquilizer of soul and moderator of sentiments.
3- Chattiness as the opposite point of silence, makes man improvident, because it increases man's errors, decreases his shame, and breaking the barrier of shame as a result of excess of errors, it simplifies evil deeds for man as Imam Ali A.S. says:
«مَنْ کَثُرَ کَلامُهُ کَثُرَ خَطَأُهُ، وَ مَنْ کَثُرَ خَطَأُهُ قَلَّ حَیاؤُهُ وَ مَنْ قَلَّ حَیاؤُهُ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ، وَ مَنْ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ ماتَ قَلْبُهُ، وَ مَنْ ماتَ قَلْبُهُ دَخَلَ النّارَ».
He, who speaks more, commits more errors. He, who commits more errors, becomes shameless. He, who is shameless, would have less fear of Allah. He whose fear of Allah is less, his heart dies. He, whose heart dies, enters Hell.
And perhaps on this account, silence is considered as one of the important sorbs.
«اَلْعِبادَةُ عَشَرَةُ اَجْزاء تِسْعَةٌ مِنْها فِی الصَّمْتِ».
Worship has ten portions, nine of which exist in silence.
It should not be mistaken; silence is not like seclusion and dissociation which remove the object of sin. Rather, it is a sort of avoiding sin, and in cases that man finds a desire to some sins including slander, sin, when he selects continence and silence, he has acquired a virtue for his health.
It should be also mentioned that silence when speaking is necessary, is considered as one of the greatest faults, and is the sign of weakness, humbleness, disability, lack of spiritual bravery, and fear of else than God.
It is also noteworthy that as most of sins are performed by tongue, a large portion of services and good deeds, like God's remembrance, guiding people, training and education, bid to good, and forbid of wrong, warfare with utterance, too are performed by tongue.
1- Mary sura (19), verse 10
2- Mary sura (19), verse 26
3- Majlessi, Beharol Anvar, 90/77 and Mohajjatol Beisae 192/5
4- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 194/5
5- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, vol. 5, page 195
6- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 195/5
7- Nahjol Balaghe, aphorisms, no. 71
8- Nahjol Balaghe, aphorisms, no. 349
9- Feise Kashani, Mohajjatol Beisae, 196/5
