It is not easy to be a believer for there are many pre-conditions as laid in Al-Qurʾān, specially the first 11 verses of Sūrah 23. Al-Mu’minūn “The Believers”. We have already shared these 11 verses in wholesome and separately. Today in this post we specifically mention the 3rd ayat / verse of the Sūrah which focuses on a very important trait of the character of a true believer. Let us read the verse first and then we explain it in detail:
Verse 3 of Surah Al-Mu’minūn (23:3) says:
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
"And they who turn away from Al-Laghv (vain talk, falsehood, and all that is useless and evil)."
Meaning of "Al-Laghv اللَّغْوِ "
The Arabic term Al-Laghv means anything nonsensical, meaningless and vain, which is in no way conducive to achieving one’s goal and purpose in life. Laghv includes all frivolity, in words, actions, or concerns, like:
- Vain or useless talk
- Idle chatter without benefit
- Lies, false accusations, mockery
- Evil or sinful speech
- Wasting time in unproductive activities
In fact the heart of a believer should at all times be full with the remembrance of God and with reflection on the Might of Allah and His signs that we see everywhere in the universe and within ourselves. Therefore the faith should keep a believer preoccupied with maintaining the purity of his or her heart, soul and conscience. This will help in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. However, this does not preclude relaxation and seeking comfort when it is needed. But this is totally different from indulging in frivolous and idle pursuits.
Qur’anic and Hadith References
The above quoted verse is not the only ayat from Qur'an. Rather the subject is thrashed out many a time in other Surahs of Qur'an, for the character of a believer is of paramount importance to be on the path shown by Allah. Herein under are some references:
- Surah Al-Qasas 28:55 — Believers respond to vain talk with peace and turn away.
- Surah Al-Furqan 25:72 — The servants of the Most Merciful avoid falsehood and idle gatherings.
- Surah An-Nur 24:19 — Allah warns against spreading indecency.
The same theme is repeated in number of Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, referencfes given herein under:
- "Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him." (Tirmidhi 2317)
- Another hadith: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent." (Bukhari 6018, Muslim 47)
Why Believers should Avoid Al-Laghv
Now let us see why a believer should avoid all such acts and talk that is tantamount to Al Laghv:
- Protects the Heart: Idle talk hardens the heart and wastes spiritual energy.
- Saves Time: Time is life — wasting it in nonsense is a loss.
- Preserves Dignity: Avoiding gossip, mockery, and backbiting builds respect.
- Focus on Purpose: A believer’s life is centered on pleasing Allah, not indulging in triviality.
Practical Examples Today
If we look around today, we are wasting more time as compared to the bygone days when TVs had fewer channel and wired telephones had no means of showing useless material or even sinful stuff. Many a young men today waste away their time in frivolity, rather than attempting to know something credible like reading Qur'an from many a app on mobile phones and steering and directing their lives to positivities.
Some of the steps to reform oneself could include:
- Avoiding gossip at work or social gatherings.
- Avoiding spending hours surfing useless information from one's cellular phones or computers.
- Not engaging in online trolling, fake news, or pointless arguments on social media.
- Leaving entertainment that promotes indecency or distracts from worship.
Thus, a believer should be a person who possesses a right thinking mind, pure nature and fine taste. He has no inclination to indecent things. He can talk useful and healthy things but cannot indulge in idle talk. He has a fine taste of humor, but is not given to jesting, joking, ridicule, etc. nor can he endure dirty jokes and fun. For him a society in which the ears are never immune from abusive language, back-biting, slander; lying, dirty songs and indecent talk is a source of torture and agony. A characteristic of the promised Paradise is: Therein you will not hear anything vain or useless.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sūrah 23. Al-Mu’minūn “The Believers” already published.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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