Ramadan: What it means to use good words

What we say is a direct reflection of what is in our hearts, especially in moments of fatigue or anger or ‘h-anger’ (hunger-anger), which is pretty common this month. That doesn’t mean that if you use bad words out of frustration that you have a bad heart. It is an indication that it is a good time to do some soul-searching to find what is still in need of Allah’s purification. And it is not a one-way street; the more you work on your tongue, the more your heart will feel the effects.
But what does fasting from bad words or “restraining the tongue” actually mean?
Simply, we should guard against the following types of speech:

Lying
Breaking promises
Speaking badly about people and gossiping.
Arguing without a good reason or if there is a danger of it getting out of hand.
Boasting and self-praise on the level of arrogance.
Cursing and using foul language.
Wishing harm or evil on others, even your enemies.
Making fun, teasing, and ridiculing people in a way that could hurt their feelings or damage their reputation, not only on an individual level, but especially when talking about an entire people group in a racist way.

A great way to practice “cleaning up our mouths” is to spend more time saying good and beautiful things. For example, if you spend your drive to work reciting the 99 names of Allah, then the curses you no doubt have ready for the guy who just cut you off in traffic will feel strange and ugly on your tongue.

The final days of Ramadan are the perfect opportunity to practice restraint as we remember all the mercies and blessings of Allah and seek His forgiveness.