Principles of Islam
31. Observing Silence
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Another instance is the hadith, which says that
asking the assembly to keep quiet while the Imam is
giving a sermon is an absurd act. (That would
amount to making noise.)
Observing silence at individual meetings too is a
good principle to follow, but when the matter
pertains to the whole community it assumes an
even greater importance. At a delicate moment the
observance of silence by a leader can check a riot
from taking place. While an ill-timed speech by a
leader can lead to a full scale riot, leaving in its
wake the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and
property worth crores of rupees burnt to ashes. It is
in this sense that sister Consolata has observed:
“The greatest number of failings in a community
comes from breaking the rule of silence.”
