Loose Tongue

In response to my post “Tongue Control”, Anonymous gave an interesting reply. This is what Anon said:

“only say the good thing or otherwise shut up, a methodology that is most appropriate i must say. However, how is it that one can determine what is good and what is not. A good matter may be supposedly relevant to the satu pihak but may not so be for pihak yang satu lagi. Then how do u seperate the thin lines because being simply 'good' is theoretical in nature...tiada yang mutlak Adakalanya kepahitan itu harus ditelan demi kebenaran..”

I replied the following:

“Dear Anon: You seem to be confused with "good" and "truth". Ada beza antara "baik" dan "kebenaran".Quran sebut, katakan yang benar walaupun ke atas diri kamu sendiri. Therefore, in my opinion, "Good" is theoretical in nature and it depends on one's intellectual capability. Kalau dia pandai, bijaklah dia tentukan apa yang baik... Kepahitan pula, MESTI ditelan demi kebenaran SETIAP MASA... bukan adakalanya...”

Then Anon replied this (I am assuming that it is the same Anon as the first comment):

“Bukankah yang benar itu baik dan yang baik itu adalah kebenaran two_one. Sekalipun hanya berbeda dari garis perkataan tetapi maksud keduanya terletak pada paksi yang sama. Waima mana paksi letaknya maksud dan maudu' baik dan benar ia tetap merungkai garis2 halus. Persoalannya siapakah yang berhak meletakkan apakah yang baik dan benar? Benar bagi Jebat memberontak akan ketidakadilan Sultan tetapi benar bagi Tuah menikam Jebat atas kemurkaannya kepada Sultan. Hatta Tuah berkata " siapakah yang benar, aku kah benar atau jebatkah yang benar"

2:26. Allah tidak malu membuat persamaan, walaupun dengan seekor agas, atau apa yang lebih rendah. Bagi orang-orang yang percaya, mereka mengetahui bahawa itu adalah yang benar daripada Pemelihara mereka; tetapi bagi orang-orang yang tidak percaya, mereka berkata, "Apakah yang Allah mengkehendaki dengan ini sebagai satu persamaan?" Dengannya Dia menyesatkan ramai, dan dengannya Dia memberi petunjuk kepada ramai, dan dengannya Dia tidak menyesatkan kecuali orang-orang fasiq (tidak mempedulikan perintah Tuhan),”

I think my original post in “Tongue Control” has been interpreted too wide. It should not be read out of its intended proportion. This post is in relation to "Tongue Control".

Anon also gave a good anology about Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat... Interesting indivuduals they are to blog about some other time.

Back to "Tongue Control", If I could recall properly, in Form 4, we learned sub set. Subset means a set, whose members are members belonging to another set.

Applying that concept, “Good”, is a sub set. It belongs to the general set which is “Truth”. The truth will remain to be so come what may. Good is subjective. Given the limited time that you have to think whether to respond or not in a conversation, you could at least care for the feelings of the other person.

Let me give you an example:

Statement A: “I think you look pretty in those red shoes”

Statement B: “I think you have a very ugly face and I really hate your huge disproportionate pimple!”

Statement A and B are to the same person. Statement A may be the truth and is a “good” statement. Statement B may be the truth but is certainly a “bad” statement. Both are the truth but Islam teaches us that B cannot be said.

Why?

Because it might hurt the feeling of the other person if you were to say it. You should just keep that opinion to yourself. The least you can do is probably to guide her, in a nice way, which would not hurt her feelings, to the nearest skin care specialist. To be even nicer, pay for her cosmetic surgery too!

Now, regarding Anon's quotation of Al-Baqarah:26, this is the Yusuf Ali's translation.

“Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means Allah by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path),-“

After reading it over and over again, I fail to see how it relates to "Tongue Control".

On a different note, that verse, uses the word “Mu’min” which if you translate would mean a “Believer”. It also uses the word “Kafir” which means “Disbeliever / those who reject Faith”. Thus it is not fair to dilute the strong meaning of Mu’min and Kafir to just merely “percaya” and “tidak percaya”.

That verse differentiates between how a Mu’min would react and how Kafir would react, when they see the comparison that Allah makes presumably in the Quran. Again, it would be out of proportion to relate this verse with "Tongue Control" or even with Tuah and Jebat. Actually, i humbly feel that there is no link whatsoever.

That verse is an interesting verse which should not be left alone without authoritative explanation to accompany it. Due respect must be given by quoting other verses related to it as well as the tafsir made in reference to it. It may look like a direct verse but I can see numerous philosopical and legal conotation coming from that single verse. So it is not that simple after all.

Anyway, thanks for dropping by Anon. :)

Blog adjourned!