The fifth word of advice which Rasulullah (sallellaho alaihe wasallam) gave was this:

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(???????? ?: 2? ?: 414)

“Speak the truth even if it may be bitter.”

Friends! Even if you have to speak the truth, say it in the proper manner. For example, a person says to his mother: “O my father’s wife! Bring my breakfast.” Although he has spoken the truth, but this criminal destroyed the meaning of this Hadîth. Islam teaches us the lesson of showing respect; it does not teach disrespect. Look! When Hazrat Khadir (Alaihis salaam) damaged the ship, he attributed the action to himself. But when he set right the wall which belonged to two young boys, he attributed this to Allah Ta’ala whereas he had done both things under the command of Allah Ta’ala. But where he did something which seemed unbecoming, he attributed it to himself and said:

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(???? ?????? ???: 79)

“I desired to cause a defect in it.” (Sûrah al-Kahf, 18: 79)

But when it came to straightening the wall, he attributed it to Allah Ta’ala:

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(???? ?????? ???: 82)

“Your Lord willed that they should reach their age of strength and take out their buried treasure – this as a mercy of your Lord.”

Friends! You may certainly say the truth, say it without fear, but look at the situation and place, and then say it with respect and decorum. For example, when a hunter wants to capture a bird, he also learns to make the sounds made by it or else it will flee from him. If there is a poet who has attended an assembly, quote a few poems to him and entrap him in the love of Allah Ta’ala. If a doctor is present, make references to some medical aspects. For example, tell him that French doctors are instructing insane people to use the miswâk because it is removing the filthy matter from their brains and they are recovering from their illness. On the other hand, we are abandoning this blessed Sunnah of our Prophet (Sallellaho alaihe wasallam). Whereas, if we use the miswâk and perform salâh, the reward is increased by seventy times. If we lick our fingers after eating, a certain liquid emanates from our fingers which aids in the digestion of the food. These are the discoveries of the doctors. We do not lick our fingers because of their discoveries, but because this is a Sunnah of our Rasûl (Sallellaho alaihe wasallam). Even if the doctors were to stop us from doing this, we will not listen to them. We will listen to Rasulullah (sallellaho alaihe wasallam). Similarly, it is Sunnah to clean the utensil from which we eat food. The utensil makes a du‘â: “O Allâh! Save him from the Hell-fire just as a he saved me from Satan.” This Hadîth is related by ‘Allâmah Shâmî rahimahullâh in volume five of his book, Kitâb Shâmî, under the chapter, Kitâb al-Hazar wa al-Ibâhah.