Hadith #8886

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his pure Ahl al-Bayt, and his noble companions.

The Arabic Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) states,

أحْسَنُ المَقالِ ما صَدَّقَهُ الفِعالُ۔

This can be translated as,

The best of utterances is that which is affirmed by action.

This impactful saying emphasizes the importance of aligning our words with our deeds, and it holds great significance in the teachings of Islam.

To understand the depth of this Hadith, let us delve into the meanings of the key words. (ahsanu) "أحْسَنُ" means "the best" or "the most excellent." (al-maqal) "المَقالِ" refers to "utterances" or "speech." (ma) "ما" is a pronoun meaning "that which." (saddaqahu) "صَدَّقَهُ" comes from the root word (sadaqa) "صَدَقَ", which means "to affirm" or "to validate." Finally, (al-fi'al) "الفِعالُ" refers to "actions" or "deeds."

The Quran provides us with numerous verses that support the concept conveyed in this Hadith. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says in Surah Al-Asr (103:1-3),

By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

This verse highlights the importance of not only believing but also acting righteously and advising others towards truth and patience.

Furthermore, in Surah Al-Hujurat (49:11), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

This verse emphasizes the importance of refraining from mocking or insulting others, as it contradicts the essence of faith and righteousness.

The Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) encourages us to align our words with our actions. It teaches us that true excellence lies in not just speaking about good deeds, but in actually performing them. It reminds us that our actions are a reflection of our faith and that our words should be supported by tangible and righteous deeds.

For example, if we claim to be advocates of justice, it is not enough to merely speak about justice; we must actively work towards establishing justice in our society. If we claim to be compassionate, it is not enough to talk about compassion; we must show compassion through our actions towards those in need. This Hadith serves as a reminder that our words hold weight only when they are backed by sincere and consistent actions.

Moreover, this Hadith also highlights the importance of integrity and authenticity in our speech. It urges us to be truthful in our words and to avoid hypocrisy. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says in Surah Al-Hujurat (49:2),

O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.

This verse reminds us to be mindful of our speech and to avoid any form of disrespect or insincerity.

In conclusion, the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) teaches us that the best form of speech is one that is affirmed and validated by our actions. It emphasizes the importance of aligning our words with our deeds and highlights the significance of integrity and authenticity in our speech. By embodying this teaching, we can strive to be individuals who not only speak about righteousness but also actively work towards it, thereby reflecting the true essence of our faith. May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) grant us the ability to live by this profound wisdom and may He accept our efforts to align our words with our actions.