لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ قَوْمٌ يَأْكُلُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ الْبَقَرَةُ بِأَلْسِنَتِهَا
Translation: The Hour will not come until people appear who eat by means of their tongues, as a cow eats with its tongue.
Source: أحمد
يَأْكُلُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ literally means “they eat with their tongues.” The comparison to a cow’s feeding warns against exploiting speech, flattery, or deception for improper material gain.
Earning a living through speech is not inherently wrong: teaching, advising, translating, and honest commerce all involve language. The danger lies in using words to mislead people or take what is not rightfully yours.