Self-talk

The Prophet’s Wisdom on Self-Talk: Speak Kindly to Yourself

It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“Let none of you say: ‘My soul has become evil,’ but rather say: ‘My soul has become weary.’” (Agreed upon)

The Importance of Judging Yourself Kindly

Every day, we say countless things without giving them a second thought. We label them as “trivial” or “harmless,” assuming they don’t affect our lives. But in reality, many of these unnoticed patterns can deeply shape how we see ourselves — and ultimately, our future.

One powerful example is how we talk to ourselves. Harsh inner judgments are often spoken without hesitation, and that’s exactly what the Prophet ﷺ warned us against when he said:

“Don’t say: My soul is evil. Say instead: My soul has become weary.”

Inner Talk: The Silent Architect of Your Reality

Before any words escape our lips, they exist first as thoughts — silent, internal dialogues. And these internal conversations are more than just fleeting whispers. They are judgments.

Your mood, emotions, and even decisions are influenced by the quality of your thoughts. Choosing positive, gentle words can be the key to a life of peace and purpose.

Our internal self-talk is one of the most personal and powerful parts of our existence. The way we speak to ourselves creates the blueprint for how we view the world — and ourselves within it.

You Talk to Yourself More Than You Talk to Anyone

Most of our conversations actually happen inside our heads. Yet, many of us treat this self-talk as meaningless — just background noise. But here's the truth: every thought is a dialogue between you and yourself.

And every internal dialogue leads to a verdict: either a positive belief… or a negative one. Repeating this verdict over and over cements it as reality. That’s how we form lasting impressions of ourselves — for better or worse.

The Prophet’s guidance urges us to break this cycle. Swap harshness for compassion. Replace, “I’m ruined,” with, “I’m struggling, but I’ll get through this.”

Negative Judgments Are Destructive, Not Helpful

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us how to speak to ourselves: gently, respectfully.

Look at the difference:

“My soul is weary” sounds far softer than

“My soul is evil.”

Even when we’ve made mistakes or failed, we should never tear ourselves down. Self-criticism is necessary — but it must be constructive, not destructive. Otherwise, we risk building a defeated, broken self-image.

Self-Demolition Through Harsh Words

So many people — when they fail or lose something — retreat inward and launch brutal attacks on themselves. You’ll hear things like:

“I’m a failure. I’ll never get a good job.”

“I’m worthless because I didn’t pass the test.”

“My life is over because I went to prison.”

“I’m ugly. No one would ever want me.”

These are not just words. These are self-imposed prisons. And they do nothing but paralyze our potential.

Instead, try this:

“Yes, I failed — but I still have more chances.”

“Yes, I made a mistake — but I can still make things right.”

“I went to prison — but I can prove that it was a mistake I learned from.”

Even if you feel unattractive, say:

“Maybe I’m not conventionally beautiful — but I have talents and a mission to fulfill in this world.”

Elevating Your Inner Dialogue = Elevating Your Life

Guiding and reshaping your inner dialogue is the first step to healing and finding peace.

Instead of destructive self-talk, speak to yourself with hope, grace, and vision. This doesn’t mean you ignore your mistakes. It means you own them with wisdom.

One mistake? That’s a lesson.

Repeat it? A forgivable slip.

Repeat it again? Time to reflect deeply — before it crushes your self-worth.

God is forgiving. But people may not always be. So healing means not repeating what harmed you the first time.

Be Kind to Yourself — Always

We don’t fix our lives by shaming ourselves. Harsh self-talk leads nowhere. Real growth comes from positive self-criticism — the kind that lifts you out of the pit, not buries you deeper in it.

The past is gone. What matters now is: how do you get unstuck?

The Prophet ﷺ gave us a starting point:

Don’t say: “My soul is evil.” Say: “My soul is weary.”

Don’t say:

“I went to prison. My life is over.”

Say instead:

“I went to prison — but it was a slip, and I still have a future.”

Don’t say:

“I committed a sin too great to be forgiven.”

Say:

“Yes, I sinned. But I am remorseful, and I trust in Allah’s mercy. I will never go back to it again.”

Let your words build you, not break you.