THE VALUE OF SILENCE

Thinking is not an occasional activity of the mind: it is a continuous process, and it happens not only in the daytime, but also when you are asleep at night. The only difference at that time is that it is transferred from the conscious to the sub-conscious mind. The issue of silence can be better understood with the following example. According to the nature of mind, speaking means to stop the process of thinking, whereas when you are silent you are allowing your mind to carry on its thinking processes without any interruption. Just as a speed breaker on the road reduces the speed of the passing vehicles, human speech breaks man’s continuous journey of thought. Silence is a positive habit, it helps you to learn more and develop your personality unhindered. After having understood the importance of silence it is equally important to learn the right use of speech. In this context the Quran has the following guidance. In chapter Al-Nisa (Women) it is mentioned: There is no good in most of their secret talk, except in the case of those who enjoin charity and kindness, or reconciliation between people. If anyone does that, seeking the pleasure of God, We will give him an immense reward. (4: 114) This Quranic verse sets the standard for secret as well as open talk, namely, soundness and utility. One can only live up to this standard by being sincere in what one says and speaking only after analyzing the matter at hand. What one says should stem from a positive mind. According to this verse, a person must refrain from futile talk. He should never indulge in talking just for the sake of talking. Now, the question is what is the best manner of speaking? And what content of one’s speech may be regarded as worthwhile? The Quranic criterion for proper social interaction is based on three principles. All three principles are described in the above verse of the Quran, which can be set forth as follows: Charity, that is, speaking with the true giving spirit. Kindness, that is, speaking with the spirit of well-wishing towards others. Conciliation, that is, speaking in such a way as to create an atmosphere of harmony among people. The Quran tries to develop one’s thinking capacity, it tries to build a mind that can understand things in the deeper sense and analyze them with objectivity. The art of silence is necessary to be able to accomplish all these things.