“Even a fool may be thought wise and intelligent if he stays quiet and keeps his mouth shut.” – King Solomon.

The quote testified that keeping quiet is as important as speaking. But, on certain occasions speaking becomes extremely important. One who believes in God and the Day of Judgement should either speak words of goodness or keep quiet. One who does not tell the truth at the right moment can be regarded as not wise. However, there are many instances where observing silence is more important.

Example; if your opponent is convinced that you have suffered a setback although in actual fact you were not. It is essential at that time to keep quiet so that your opponent would remain ignorant about your strength. Another example; it is an absurd act asking the assembly to keep quiet while the preacher is preaching, because in itself would cause making a noise.

Most of our interactions are confined to the exchange of words, vomiting what is there in our mind. In that moment, it is normally about “I’m right, so listen to what I have to say”. If silence is missing in the interaction, it can be easily taken over by problems and conflicts. We have seen people who have severed relationship because of their failure to keep quiet when it was most needed. We also have seen countless number of riots that left thousands of innocents slaughtered and properties burnt to ashes, all in all because the leaders fail to observe silence at the delicate moment.

Just imagine what you can achieve if you can quiet up your mind. A quiet mind will make you less reactive to the “problem” of life and it will give you inner peace. There are many techniques for quieting the mind, the most universally accepted and regularly used is meditation. Beginners will find that it is not easy to meditate, his/her mind will quickly fill up with thought the moment he/she attempt to create stillness. However, don’t be discouraged. You only need to practise it. Over time you will master the technique and reap tremendous benefit from it. You can find a lot of guide or resources on meditation. If you need one, check this out: How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-Discovery