There is no benefit in excess talk,
If you have already been guided to the best of a matter.
And silence is better for a young man,
Than speaking inopportunely.
And for the young man there is for his character,
A sign that is apparent on his forehead.
Silence is something we often view as a weakness or something that connotes negativity. This is not always the case. Silence is something precious in Islam and one should always be very careful with what one says with the tongue. It has the potential to make one enter the hellfire or be safe from it. This is shown by the hadith of the Prophet who said he would guarantee paradise for the one who could guarantee that he kept his private parts and tongue away from sin.[1]
Often when we argue or debate something, we are going around in circles and adding nothing new or constructive to the debate. In these cases the poem is advising us to be silent and expend our energies in something more useful.
The next lines then discuss why silence is particularly pertinent for the young man. Arab and Islamic traditions teach that youth is something to be utilized in the best possible way. This is generally meant to take the form of gaining knowledge and piety. Imam Shafii shows this clearly by saying that a young man shouldn’t speak at inopportune moments such as when he doesn’t have the knowledge of the right thing to say, and that he should gain piety, which is a much greater way of distinguishing himself than speaking. This piety is visible through the mark of prostration that is found on the forehead of Muslims who pray regularly.
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