obscene talk without the fear of the Hereafter. They do not care that their conversation may cause the wrath of Allah Almighty to befall them and that He has forbidden us from talking about such things. Thus, in part 14, Surah Al-Nahl, verse 90 it is stated:

وَ یَنْهٰى عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ الْبَغْیِۚ-

And forbids from obscenity, and evil and rebellion.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 14, Surah Al-Nahl, Verse 90)

We should also follow this command of Allah Almighty and practise the deeds that please Him and try to become perfect believers by avoiding the deeds that entail disobedience to Him. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘A believer does not take out the faults of others, nor does he curse, nor is he foul nor immodest.’ (Sunan Tirmizi, vol. 3, p. 393, Hadees 1984) The state of modesty of our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـه was such that not only did they refrain from obscenities and bad speech, but they also forbade their followers from listening to obscene things.

As Sayyiduna Ahmad Bin Yahya رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘Once, Sayyiduna Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه left the candle market and we began to follow him. We saw a person speaking in inappropriate words to a scholar, so Sayyiduna Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه turned to us and said, ‘Keep your ears free of listening to obscene words, just as you keep your tongues free of speaking indecent words, for the one who (intentionally) listens is a partner to the one who speaks, and it is only the foolish person who wishes to fill your container (i.e., mind) with evil words. If the words of the foolish one are returned to him, then the one who returns them is fortunate just as the one who said them is unfortunate.’ (Lubab-ul-Ihya, p. 29)

Dear Islamic brothers! From this account, we learn that if indecent and inappropriate conversations are taking place in a gathering, and we have the ability to stop it, then we should stop it. Otherwise, at the very least, we should consider it bad in our hearts and leave that place. Sometimes, we come across individuals who avoid obscene speech themselves but if they hear someone else speaking obscenities and vulgarities, مَعَاذَ الـلّٰـه they are