Books The Bane of the Tongue: Book 24 of Ihya' 'ulum al-din, The Revival of the Religious Sciences (24) (The Fons Vitae Al-Ghazali Series)  by Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali (Author)

The Bane of the Tongue is Book 24 of Imam al-Ghazālī’s magnum opus Ihya' 'ulum al-din (The Revival of the Religious Sciences). In this work, al-Ghazālī identifies and analyzes the "banes" or defects of the tongue—speech flaws ranging from minor to very serious—that can harm both the speaker's soul and others.

Al-Ghazālī organizes these defects into twenty chapters, progressing from less offensive to most egregious forms of misuse of speech, which include:

Speaking about what is not one’s concern

Superfluous chatter and vain talk

Pretentious or ostentatious speech

Using obscene words, cursing, ridiculing others

Making false promises and lying

Gossip and backbiting (including gestures and looks)

He provides a careful psychological and spiritual analysis of each defect, illustrating how these "banes" manifest in behavior and their destructive consequences in this life and the hereafter. Al-Ghazālī explains that while the tongue is a powerful tool for good communication and faith declaration, it is the most difficult to control and easily misused.

The book emphasizes silence as a powerful remedy and spiritual discipline to overcome the destructive misuse of speech. This teaching is particularly relevant today given the rapid and often careless communication enabled by the internet and social media, which can amplify harm and regret.