The Right of the Tongue

Treatise on Rights is the only work attributed to Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) other than supplications or relatively short sayings and letters. The fact that it was a written document from the first may support the suggestion that at least some of the supplications were originally written compositions.

3. حق اللسان

3. The Right of the Tongue

وَأَمَّا حَقُّ اللّسَان فَإكْرَامُهُ عَنِ الْخَنَى

The right of the tongue is that you consider it too noble for obscenity,

وتَعْوِيدُهُ الْخَيْرِ

accustom it to good,

وَ تَرك الْفُضُول الَّتي لا فائِدَةِ لَها

refrain from any meddling in which there is nothing to be gained,

و البِرُّ بالنَّاسِ

express kindness to the people,

و حُسْن القَولِ فيهم.

and speak well concerning them.