I have been pondering and reflecting on this matter for quite some time, mostly because I've witnessed some atrocities done by people who are devout “prayers”, they pray and pray and pray; yet they are not sincere people, their actions do not akin with their hearts but rather with their lips, which leads me to the question: which speaks the truth before God – the lips or the heart?

In Islam, the relationship between the lips and the heart is sacred and inseparable. The words we speak are supposed to be the mirror of our inner state, yet human beings often honour God and people with their tongues while their hearts drift far away.

Allah exposes this spiritual contradiction in the Koran: “They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts.” (Koran 48:11)

This single verse reveals the timeless truth that the tongue can pretend — but the heart cannot.

Human beings can speak faith, gratitude, commitment, love, or humility, yet only the heart confirms these claims. That is why God judges the heart before the lips, the intention before the action, the sincerity before the sound.

The Prophet (pbuh) declared: “Verily, actions are by intentions …” (Bukhari & Muslim)

Thus, the lips may speak, but the heart decides whether those words rise to the heavens or collapse in hypocrisy.

Human societies say: “Talk is cheap; action speaks louder than words” and in my opinion reveals the condition of the heart.

The Koran expresses this more sharply: “O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? It is greatly hateful in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.” (Koran 61:2-3)

This divine warning establishes that Allah despises empty speech. Words without action are not only meaningless — they are spiritually dangerous. They create a gap between the tongue and the heart, a fertile ground for hypocrisy.

Prayer is the most intimate moment between a servant and the Creator. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration.” (Muslim)

Sujood is not a posture of the body alone. It is a posture of the heart. That is why it is astonishing — even spiritually shocking — that someone could stand before Allah, raise their hands, declare Allahu akbar, and yet do so without sincerity. How can a person speak to the King of Kings with a hollow heart? Do they not have taqwa?

To speak insincerely before people is bad manners.

To speak insincerely before Allah is a collapse of the soul.

Taqwa is one of the most essential qualities a believer can possess. Scholars define it as:

• A shield that protects the heart from sin and hypocrisy

• A constant awareness of Allah that guides behaviour

• Obeying Allah’s commands and avoiding His prohibitions, inwardly and outwardly.

The root of the word (waqā) means protection. Thus, taqwa is the heart’s shield, its moral compass, its internal alarm system. It keeps a believer from speaking falsehood, showing off in prayer, or standing before Allah without reverence — actions to be seen by men and not by God, as God knows our deepest intentions and thoughts.

We may be able to fool the people, but for a surety we cannot fool God. God is closer to us than our jugular vein … plus He is the Knower of all things.

In fact, one of Allah’s beautiful names is Al-‘Alīm which means: the all-knowing; the one whose knowledge is complete, perfect, infinite, and encompasses everything; the seen and unseen, the past, present, and future; what is hidden in the hearts.

Allah says in the noble Koran: “Indeed, Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.” (Surah Al-Hujurāt 49:16)

And: “Surely He is the all-knowing of what is in the breasts.” (Surah Al-Mulk 67:13)

Al-‘Alīm is one of Allah’s most frequently mentioned names in the Koran, affirming His absolute and perfect knowledge.

Allah describes the people of taqwa as those whose “hearts tremble when the name of Allah is mentioned”. (Koran 8:2)

Their hearts move before their lips do. This is why Muslims constantly ask Allah for taqwa — because it purifies the heart, aligns the tongue, and ensures that words spoken in worship and daily life carry the fragrance of sincerity.

Prophet Muhammad himself made this duaa: “O Allah, grant my soul its taqwa and purify it, for You are the best to purify it.” (Muslim)

Even he — the purest of all hearts — sought taqwa, teaching us that sincerity is a lifelong struggle.

Allah warns of people who speak truth with their tongues but deny it in their hearts: “When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.’ Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars.” (Koran 63:1)

Their words were correct; their hearts were corrupt; and Allah judged them liars.

This is the ultimate proof that the heart is more sincere than the lips, and that Allah judges inner truth, not superficial expression. Indeed, speech without sincerity is the path of hypocrisy. Whilst speech with a pure heart is the mark of true faith.

On the other hand, Allah elevates the believer whose speech springs from a sincere heart: “To Him ascends good speech, and righteous action raises it.” (Koran 35:10)

The perfection of divine wisdom is good speech as it rises to Allah whilst it is action that carries it upward.

Thus words matter — but sincerity and action matter equally.

Prophet Muhammad said: “A servant may speak a word pleasing to Allah … and Allah raises him many degrees.” (Bukhari)

That is the power of sincere speech — not from the lips, but from a heart alive with faith. The heart is the throne of sincerity. The tongue is merely its servant.

Without taqwa, the tongue becomes reckless, the prayer becomes routine, and speech becomes hollow.

But when taqwa fills the heart: the tongue becomes truthful; worship becomes real; actions reflect faith; and sincerity flows naturally in every word.

A pure heart, guarded with taqwa, speaks louder than the loudest lips — in this world and in the sight of Allah, Lord of all the worlds. May we honour the heart by saying what we mean and doing what we say.

Let us be among those who do not offer mere lip service, but whose words flow from sincerity of the heart. May we as Muslims be reminded that the heart of a Muslim is sincere — filled with love, strength, and kindness.

True faith is not in appearances but in compassion. May our hearts, across all traditions, shine with sincerity; always matching our words.

Bermuda, may you have a blessed week filled with love, justice, kindness, tolerance, purpose and sincerity.

As-salaam alaikum — peace be unto you.

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah Team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam