Reflections on Sūrah al-Humazah
Guarding the Tongue, the Heart, and the Soul
Author: Muhammad Umair Mushtaq (Abu Mikael)
Introduction
This short but piercing sūrah unmasks a disease of the heart that destroys both this world and the next: the obsession with wealth, status, and belittling others.
The Opening Condemnation – The Trial of the Tongue
“Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.” God condemns the one who mocks, shames, and cuts down others with words, gestures, or gossip. Allah begins the sūrah with a stern warning: mockery, gossip, and slander are not small sins — they poison hearts and destroy communities.
Reflection: Words can heal or harm. Our dignity is sacred, and faith is not in mockery but in dignity. If my speech tears others down, it tears my own soul apart. Do I use my tongue to uplift or to belittle?
The Obsession with Wealth – The Trial of Possession
The one who piles up wealth, counting it obsessively, thinking it will make him immortal. The illusion of wealth leads people to piles up riches imagining they will last forever, but wealth cannot buy real security, love, or eternal life — it is only a temporary test.
Reflection: Wealth is fleeting; only deeds endure beyond the grave. Attachment to possessions blinds me to death and accountability. Am I clinging to what cannot follow me into the grave?
The Crushing Fire – The Trial of the Heart
Allah describes a fire that rises within, engulfing the chest, enclosing in columns of flame. It is not only an external punishment — but the inner corruption of arrogance, greed, and cruelty. Such arrogance leads to the hutamah — a crushing fire that breaks heart that was hard in worldly life.
Reflection: Every sin plants a fire inside. Faith, humility, and generosity nurture light instead of flames. Which fire am I feeding within?
Conclusion – A Compass for the Soul
- Guard the tongue — Speech defines faith. Faith is not mockery, but dignity.
- Guard the heart — Wealth is not eternal; only deeds endure.
- Guard the soul — Safety lies only with Allah’s mercy.
Closing Thought:
This sūrah is not about “other people.” It is a mirror. How often do we seek validation by mocking someone else? How often do we measure success by possessions instead of sincerity? True worth lies not in what we hoard, but in the heart that we present to Allah. Guard your tongue, purify your intentions, and remember: every word and every coin will testify on the Day of Judgment.
Faith, humility, and service shield the heart from arrogance and greed. Every mocking word, every selfish grasp at wealth, is a spark of fire — unless extinguished by remembrance, kindness, and trust in Allah.
