In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The Correct Utterances

[33:70] O you who believe, reverence GOD and utter only the correct utterances.
[33:71] He will then fix your works, and forgive your sins. Those who obey GOD and His messenger have triumphed a great triumph.

33:70-71 provide us with a road map for an ideal life style and an ultimate victory. "utter only the correct utterances" is a straightforward command from God Almighty to all believers. What would be the correct utterances in the light of the Quran? What are these magic words that will simply lead to fixing our works and wiping away our sins by God Almighty? And what could we ask for, as believers, that is better than fixing our works and redeeming our sins?

What would be better to utter than the "Best Hadith" and the words of the divine truth? Wouldn't that be the utterances of the seer, knowledgeable and sincere? This reminder is only an exhibit of correct utterances by the words of the ultimate truth and justice that open all doors to the great triumph PROMISED in 33:71. Our salvation lies on our adoration of truthfulness and justice and that dictates the correct utterances:

[5:119] GOD will proclaim, "This is a day when the truthful will be saved by their truthfulness." They have deserved gardens with flowing streams. They abide therein forever. GOD is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. This is the greatest triumph.

[10:32] Such is GOD, your rightful Lord. What is there after the truth, except falsehood? How could you disregard all this?

[10:36] Most of them follow nothing but conjecture, and conjecture is no substitute for the truth. GOD is fully aware of everything they do.

- The utterance of the oneness and uniqueness of God is the basic foundation of correct belief and the correct proclamation of faith. This utterance also sets the correct tone for leading a righteous life:

[2:163] Your god is one god; there is no god but He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The Most Important Commandment [3:18] GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise.

[2:255] GOD: there is no other god besides Him, the Living, the Eternal. Never a moment of unawareness or slumber overtakes Him. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Who could intercede with Him, except in accordance with His will? He knows their past, and their future. No one attains any knowledge, except as He wills. His dominion encompasses the heavens and the earth, and ruling them never burdens Him. He is the Most High, the Great.

- If we mention any religious teachings, which God proclaims He perfected, these utterances cannot be correct unless we use the one divine source, the ultimate truth He revealed and completed for us. We are worthy of God's guidance, blessings and forgiveness only when we preach with this one correct, divine and truthful source:

[18:27] You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord's scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it.

[5:3].... Today, I have completed your religion, perfected My blessing upon you, and I have decreed Submission as the religion for you. If one is forced by famine (to eat prohibited food), without being deliberately sinful, then GOD is Forgiver, Merciful.

[6:73] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth, truthfully. Whenever He says, "Be," it is. His word is the absolute truth. All sovereignty belongs to Him the day the horn is blown. Knower of all secrets and declarations, He is the Most Wise, the Cognizant.

Quran: The Ultimate Reference [5:48] Then we revealed to you this scripture, truthfully, confirming previous scriptures, and superseding them. You shall rule among them in accordance with GOD's revelations, and do not follow their wishes if they differ from the truth that came to you. ....

[38:84] He said, "This is the truth, and the truth is all that I utter.

If we truly believe in God, we reverence Him and we value His words wholeheartedly. We appreciate the precision of His work and we steer clear of the offense of concluding and inventing our own laws. Those who commit such sin set the worst example by uttering the sinful word of disbelief in the complete (6:115), infallible (11:1, 2:2) , and fully detailed (6:114) message of the Quran.

[16:116] You shall not utter lies with your own tongues stating: "This is lawful, and this is unlawful," to fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD. Surely, those who fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD will never succeed.

[11:18] Who are more evil than those who fabricate lies about GOD? They will be presented before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, "These are the ones who lied about their Lord. GOD's condemnation has befallen the transgressors."

- Inviting to the path of God and proclaiming His truth as detailed in the Quran are among the correct utterances for the true believers:

Submitters [41:33] Who can utter better words than one who invites to GOD, works righteousness, and says, "I am one of the submitters"?

[3:187] GOD took a covenant from those who received the scripture: "You shall proclaim it to the people, and never conceal it." But they disregarded it behind their backs, and traded it away for a cheap price. What a miserable trade.

How to Spread God's Message [16:125] You shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and debate with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones.

- The absolute truth is the correct utterance that God wants His allies to utter when testifying, even if against their own family members and friends:

You Shall Not Bear False Witness [4:135] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether the accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of both. Therefore, do not be biased by your personal wishes. If you deviate or disregard (this commandment), then GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do.

You Shall Not Bear False Witness [5:8] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses. Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice. You shall be absolutely equitable, for it is more righteous. You shall observe GOD. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do.

- Our manners when we conduct ourselves and deal with others, believers or non- believers, have to truthfully coincide with God's teachings. Observing the standards of righteousness in Quran will lead us to the correct utterances. Ignoring any of these standards will automatically lead to sinful utterances which will in turn drive us to all the negative we witness in our communities. Unhealthy suspicion, making wrong assumptions, spreading rumors or inaccurate information, lying, backbiting, participating in vain talk, beating around the bush, conspiring, and defending or befriending the transgressors are just a few examples of the negative, unrighteous behavior that makes up incorrect/sinful utterances.

- Imploring God and devoting this act to Him alone is a form of worship and a correct supplication; God expects His worshipers to make these utterances all the time:

[13:14] Imploring Him is the only legitimate supplication, while the idols they implore beside Him cannot ever respond. Thus, they are like those who stretch their hands to the water, but nothing reaches their mouths. The supplications of the disbelievers are in vain.

Supplication: A Form of Worship [40:60] Your Lord says, "Implore Me, and I will respond to you. Surely, those who are too arrogant to worship Me will enter Gehenna, forcibly."

[110:3] You shall glorify and praise your Lord, and implore Him for forgiveness. He is the Redeemer.

- Reciting the word of God, the ultimate truth and the only accurate utterance:

[35:29] Surely, those who recite the book of GOD, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and from our provisions to them they spend - secretly and publicly - are engaged in an investment that never loses.
[35:30] He will recompense them generously, and will multiply His blessings upon them. He is Forgiving, Appreciative.

The Noon Prayer [17:78] You shall observe the Contact Prayer (Salat) when the sun declines from its highest point at noon, as it moves towards sunset. You shall also observe (the recitation of) the Quran at dawn. (Reciting) the Quran at dawn is witnessed.

Going with all the above, it seems very clear that our honesty with God, oneself and with other human beings is absolutely vital to correct utterances. Only through applying honesty in all aspects of our lives can we move forward towards building our righteous character, towards the integrity of our communities and towards purifying our souls.

Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.