Lying

Introduction:

All praise to Allah who made truth the way to salvation and peace and blessings be upon the honest and truthful Messenger of Allah Muhammad.

When we contemplate on peoples nowadays lifestyle, we shall find that lying spreads among them in a terrible way. They think that lying is some kind of intelligence, cleverness, skill and one of the best traits of the integrated personality.

This led to mutual distrust between people, even the closest to them whom they were known to lie always.

This is the third book in the series “Repentance Messages from…". It deals with the problem of lying, showing the evidence of prohibition, its causes, and its remedy. It also contains other beneficial researches.

May Allah benefit us with it and make our deeds only for His Sake.

Preamble

Allah made the Muslim nation a nation that has clear and pure creed, acts, and sayings. Truth is the reason of any nation's happiness, awareness, and purity. Happiness is based on truth and believing while misery based on lying and belying.

Allah almighty informed us that on the Hereafter, people would benefit only from their truthfulness. Allah made the distinguished knowledge of hypocrites lying in acts and sayings.

Honesty is the mail, evidence, ship, steer, leader and adorner of faith. In fact, it is the essence of faith. Lying is the key to infidelity, Hypocrisy its evidence, ship, steer, leader and adorner its evidence and essence.

Lying opposes faith, as Shirk (polytheism) opposes of Tawhid (Monotheism, the Oneness of Allah). Lying and believing can never coexist. One of them will displace the other and settles in one’s heart, the stronger of both.

The best blessing after Islam is honesty, the nourishment and essence of Islam. There is no calamity exceeding lying, which is a disease to Islam leading to its corruption.

Dear Muslim brothers: never lie. Lying makes picturing of information corrupted, and spoils the way you convey and teach it to others. The one who lie imagines what is not real; a fact, and what is real; a mere illusion! And what is righteous, falsehood and falsehood righteous, and what is good to be evil and evil to be good. In this manner, lying spoils his vision and knowledge as a punishment. Moreover, spoils the vision and knowledge of the receiver himself relying on the liar and mislead by him. The nature of a lying individual repels from truth and attracted to falsehood. When his power of visualization and knowledge are spoilt which is responsible for initiating every willful action, it will result in corrupted actions. These actions designated as lies whenever initiated like utterance of lies by the tongue. Therefore, this person will not benefit from his words or his actions.

The Prohibition of Lying

Lying is one of the worst sins and defects

Allah, the Almighty, says: “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.” [Al-Isrâ 17:36]

Transliteration: Wala taqfu ma laysa laka bihi AAilmun

Allah, the Almighty, says: “Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].” [Qaf: 18]
 

Transliteration: Ma yalfithu min qawlin illa ladayhi raqeebun AAateedun

On the authority of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Paradise. A man keeps on telling truth till he is recorded as a truthful person. Lying leads to falsehood, falsehood leads to the Hellfire. A man keeps on lying till he is recorded as a liar. [Agreed upon]
 

Scholars say: Truth leads to good deed pure of any detestable thing.

Piety means anything good. It was once said, that piety also means paradise. It could also bear both meanings.

Lying leads to falsehood, which keeps one away from the Right Path. It was said “dipped in sins.”

On the authority of Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Alـ’As (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whosoever possesses these four characteristics is a sheer hypocrite and anyone who possesses one of them possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he gives it up: When he makes a covenant, he acts treacherously; When he talks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he quarrels he deviates from the Truth (he begins to abuse.” [Agreed upon]
 

In another Hadith, which the Prophet shunned the one who transmits everything he hears. It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet said: It is enough falsehood for a man to transmit everything he hears. [Reported by Muslim]
 

Abdullah bin ‘Amer said: The Prophet came to our home when I was a young boy. I went out to play and my mother told me: Abdullah, come here and I will give you something. Then the Prophet asked her “what were you going to give him?” She answered “Dates”, He then said: If you hadn’t given him, it would have been recorded upon you as a lie. [Reported by Abu Dawud]
 

The Prophet said: “One keeps telling lies till he is recorded by Allah as a liar.” [Reported by Al-Tirmizi]
 

Dear Muslim brother be careful not to lie, as lying is the base of falsehood. The Prophet said:" lying leads to falsehood and falsehood leads to the hellfire.” [Agreed upon]
 

Cases in which lying is justified

Lying is prohibited because it causes harm to the one who listens to lies and to others. Lying could be permissible sometimes, moreover obligatory. What are the criteria for the previous? If we can achieve our good purpose without lying, then lying is not permissible, and if we could not attain it unless by lying then it is permitted. If the only way to achieve this good purpose is by lying, then lying is permissible. If this purpose is permitted (Mubah), then lying will be permitted. If this purpose obligatory to attain, so lying in this case would be obligatory. If for example, a Muslim hides from an oppressor who wants to kill him or take his money and this oppressor asks about him, then this one must lie to hide him. Similar case when a Muslim has a trust with him and an oppressor wants to take it by force, in this case, he must lie or better to use pun.

To conclude, scholars agreed that lying is divided into five types in accordance with five ordinances of Islam Prohibited, Disliked, Advisable, Obligatory and Permitted.

First type (Prohibited): The one that has no benefit under religious ruling.

Second type (Disliked): such as lying to please parents or wives.

Third type (Advisable): Used to spread horror among the enemies of religion in Jihad (fighting in the way of Allah). Such as, lie about the armory and large number of Muslims.

The fourth type (Obligatory): Save a Muslim or his money from loss.

The fifth type (Permissible): The one used to reconcile between people. Yet, another opinion reported this type to be bad as Allah shunned lying in His Holy Book.

Using Pun

A statement warning against puns

The Salaf (righteous forefathers) were quoted to say that using pun is an alternative to lying. If a man is obliged to lie, he can use puns. However, if there is no necessity to do so, then it is not permissible to lie implicitly or explicitly, pun would be of little harm in this case.

An example of using puns:

It was narrated that Motraf came to Ziad late. He said to this prince: I had not got up except when Allah allowed me to do so!

Ibrahim said: If a man informs about something and you hate lying, then say: Allah is the witness of everything I said!

Mu’ath Ibn Jabal was appointed by Omar as a governor in one of the districts of Muslim land, may Allah be pleased with them. When he came back to his house, his wife asked him: did you not bring us anything like the other governors do? He told her “I had a presser.” She said: you worked as a trustee with the Prophet and with Abu Bakr, so why Omar presses you? She went on complaining to other women about what Omar did, Omar later heard about this complaint. Omar brought Mu’ath before him for inquiry. Mu’ath told Omar that he found no excuse other than this. Omar then laughed and gave him something to please his wife.

Mu’ath meant that this presser is Allah Almighty watching over.

Al Nakh’ei, did not tell his daughter: I will buy sugar for you. He said: What do you say if I bought you some sugar? Probably he could not buy her any.

When someone wanted Ibrahim and Ibrahim hated to meet him, he told his female slave, tell him to search for me at the Masjid and so it does not constitute a lie.

When Al Sha’bi was visited by a guest, whom he did not want to meet, he drew a circle and asked his female servant to put her finger in and to say, he is not here!

This can be used only when necessity arises. But when there is no necessity, it is not permissible because this may lead to lying. In general, pun is disliked.

Abdullah bin ‘Utba Narrated: I entered with my father before Omar bin Abdul Aziz , may Allah mercy on him, then we entered. As I was wearing a new cloth, the people asked me: was it granted to you by the leader of the believers (the Caliph)? I said: may Allah reward him. Then my father told me, “Beware of lying, and what goes along the line.” His father asked him not to say like that because his saying affirms unreal thought with them. He replied like that out of boasting and this aim is futile!

Causes of Lying

There are many causes that lead a low one’s self to lie.

First: Not fearing Allah, and not feeling that He is watching us in every second and act.

Second: Attempting to change or alter facts for the purpose of increasing or decreasing things. For boasting or to gain worldly benefits such as; who lie regarding the price of a car or land or gives false information to the girl’s family whom he wants to marry.

Third: spending time and drawing others attention by telling false stories and information.

Fourth: not bearing responsibility and trying to evade truths in crisis and situations.

Fifth: Get used to lying since young age. This results from bad upbringing. When the child sees his father and mother lie, he will be a liar.

Sixth: boasting to lie and thinking it is the key to intelligence and smartness.

Some matters people do not regard as lying

There is a type of lying, which is not considered dissoluteness, such as usual exaggeration like when one says: I called you a number of times, this person does not want to lie but wants only to show exaggeration. However, if he only called him once, then he would be a liar. Nevertheless, if he called for a number of times, which are not hundred, he would not be sinful. Yet, there is a danger in this case to fall in lies.

The pious people always try to avoid such lying.

Al-Layth Ibn Sa’d said, “Sa’eed Ibn Al-Musayeb used to have Rheum excretion (is thin mucus naturally discharged as a watery substance from the eyes) until it discharges out of his eye lid. I said to him, “Wipe your eyes” he answered, “What about the doctor saying don’t touch your eye.” Then I said, “I won’t do it (wipe of the Rheum for him). This is how pious people used watch out for fine things.

Anyone who leaves himself indulging in these little things, his tongue will get used to lying while not feeling.

Khawat Al Taimi reported: The sister of Al Rabea Ibn Khothaim came to visit his son, she bent on him saying: my son, how are you? Al Rabea then said: did you breastfeed him? She said: no. He then said: better to say oh my nephew so that you say the truth.

The people used to say Allah is the only One who knows when they do not know.

Jesus, peace be upon him, said: the greatest sin is to say Allah knows when they do not know. Moreover, one might lie and say he dreamt of something he did not dream of. This sin is great.

Prophet, Muhammad : The Prophet said, "Whoever claims to have seen a dream which he did not see, will be ordered to make a knot between two barley grains: [Authenticated by Al-Albani]
 

Some of the things people do not think they are lies and disregard them:

Calling their children to give them some things while they will give them nothing:

Abdullah bin ‘Amer said: The Prophet came to our home when I was a young boy. I went out to play and my mother told me: Abdullah, come here and I will give you something. Then the Messenger of Allah asked her “what were you going to give him?” She answered “Dates”, He then said: If you hadn’t given him, it would have been recorded upon you as a lie. [Abu Dawoud]
 

Parents should take care of that, specially the mother. They think that lies keep away troubles and bring them benefit.

We have to bring up children according to Islam and plant honesty in them. We should not lie to them because if we do, they will become liars. The great companion Abdullah bin Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated what happened with his mother when he was young. Children memorize very well what they hear and imitate what they see.

Transmitting everything heard:

Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of Allah said: “It is enough falsehood for a man to transmit everything he hears.” [Reported by Muslim]
 

In another narration He said: “It’s enough sin for a person to transmit everything he hears.” [Reported by Abu Dawud]
 

One may tell things without verifying. He might say: this is what I heard. For example, one might pass the news that a man made fornication, while this man is chaste. Should such a person pass this news? Who of us like to be talked about like that?

Narrating lies to make people laugh:

Narrated Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him! Narrated by Abu Dawud
 

Regrettably, some people became famous for their lies, thus becoming rich and owning mansions. They alleged that they made people happy, so people watch actors eagerly accepting their performance. They argue that it is a source of happiness and getting rid of the boredom of life, while they are only following their vain desires.

Lying is a kind of major infidelity

Ibn Al Qayim says: The major infidelities are five types: Infidelity by belying, infidelity by arrogance and refusal while believing, infidelity by repelling, infidelity by doubt and infidelity by hypocrisy.

Infidelity by belying: to believe that the Messengers are liars. This type is not widely spread among infidels. Allah Almighty supported His Messengers with proofs and miracles to prove their truthfulness negating any doubt and excuse. Allah, the All Mighty, says about Pharaoh and his nation: “And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness.” [Al-Naml 24:14]
 

Transliteration: Wajahadoo biha waistayqanatha anfusuhum thulman waAAuluwwan

Allah Almighty said to His Prophet “We know that you, [O Muhammad], are saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers reject.” [Al An’am 6:33]
 

Transliteration: Qad naAAlamu innahu layahzunuka allathee yaqooloona fainnahum la yukaththiboonaka walakinna alththalimeena biayati Allahi yajhadoona

This also can be called Infidelity by belying, as it is belying by the tongue.

Infidelity by arrogance and refusal: like the disbelief of Satan. Satan, did not deny or refuse Allah’s command, rather he received the Command of Allah arrogantly and proudly. So anyone who knows very well that the Messenger of Allah is truthful and that Allah revealed to him the truth but did not follow him out of arrogance and pride, he will be an infidel. The majority of the enemies of the Prophets fall in this type of disbelief. Allah Almighty, said about Pharaoh and his nation: “They said, "Should we believe two men like ourselves while their people are for us in servitude?"” [Al- Mu’minun 23:47]
 

Transliteration: Faqaloo anuminu libasharayni mithlina waqawmuhuma lana AAabidoona

And in another verses nations telling their prophets;

They said: “You are not but men like us” [Ibrahim 14:10]
 

Transliteration: in antum illa basharun mithluna

Allah, the All Mighty, says: “Thamud denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,” [Ash-Shams 91:11]
 

Transliteration: Kaththabat thamoodu bitaghwaha

The Infidelity of the Jews: “but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it;” [Al-Baqarah 3:89]
 

Transliteration: falamma jaahum ma AAarafoo kafaroo bihi

“Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons.” [Al-Baqrah 3:146]
 

Transliteration: yaAArifoonahu kama yaAArifoona abnaahum

Infidelity by turning away: In this type, disbelievers turn their ears and hearts away from the Prophet. They do not believe nor belie him. They do not befriend him or wage enmity against him, neutral attitude. They never listen to him at all. This is the case with one of the people of Abd Yalail who said to the Prophet: “If you are honest, I will not reply to you, as you will be greater in my eye to address and if you are liar, you lower than to be addressed.” This type of infidelity adopted today by atheists whom hold Muslim names, imitating the foreign Jews and Christians dissolute of any moral or virtues. They think that this is the way to advancement and civilization.

Infidelity by doubt: the one who has this kind of disbelief does not believe or belie but doubts. His doubt shall continue if he does not consider the Signs of Honesty of the Messenger of Allah totally, thus repelling from hearing even turning to it. If one considers these Signs, there will be no doubt. These signs identify truthfulness, as the morning identified by the sun.

Infidelity by Hypocrisy: It is to show belief by utterance while concealing lying in his heart. This is the greatest hypocrisy.

Lying to Allah Almighty, and to his Prophet

Allah Almighty says: “And on the Day of Resurrection you will see those who lied about Allah [with] their faces blackened.” [Az- Zumar 39:60]
 

Transliteration: Wayawma alqiyamati tara allatheena kathaboo AAala Allahi wujoohuhum muswaddatun

Al Hassan said: These people are the people who say if we wish we shall do that and if not, we shall not do it.

Ibn Al Jawzi says in interpreting this verse: a group of scholars holds the opinion that lying to Allah and His Messenger is disbelieving that converts one away from the folds of Islam. There is no doubt that lying to Allah and to His Prophet such as making lawful, which Allah made unlawful and making unlawful what Allah made lawful, the pure infidelity. The punishment of lying on the Messenger of Allah is as follows:

He also said: “Who lies on my behalf deliberately should occupy a place in Hellfire.” [Reported by Muslim]
 

He also said: “Who narrates a Hadith on my behalf knowing it was falsely attributed to me He is one of the liars.” [Reported by Al-Albani]

Pearls of the Salaf’s sayings (righteous forefathers):

Dear Muslim brother: lying is the base of falsehood. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Lying leads to obscenity and obscenity leads to Hell.”
 

Lying originates from the inner self and moves along to the tongue, thus corrupting it. Then spreads to the other parts of the body and spoils its acts the way it spoiled the tongue’s utterance. So lying will be in one's sayings, doings, and matters. If one does not cure this disease, it will spread and lead him to deterioration unless Allah saves him with the cure of honesty that pulls lying from the roots.

The essence of all hearts deeds is honesty. The essence of showing off, pride, arrogance, boasting, ingratitude, weakness, laziness, cowardness, humiliation and other bad traits is lying. Every explicit or implicit good act originates from honesty. Every explicit or implicit corrupt act originates from lying. Allah almighty, punishes every liar by preventing him from any prosper and rewards, the honest by making him succeed in life and in the Hereafter. Honesty results in benefits in life and in the Hereafter, while lying leads to spoil everything in life and in the Hereafter.

Some of the selected gems of sayings and acts by the Salaf (righteous forefathers)

Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: the worst sin in the sight of Allah is lying and the worst of regret is in the Hereafter.

Abou Hanifa decided that if he swore during his talks to give a charity of one Dirham but he continued to swear then he decided to give one Dinar. If he swore even in truth, he gave one Dinar as charity and if he spent some money on his family, he spent the like as alms. If he wore new clothing, he gave similar clothing as a gift to scholars. If he wanted to eat, he took some of that food and gave to the poor.

Abu Buraida Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Burda said: It was said that Reb’ei Ibn Hirash, may Allah be pleased with him, never uttered a lie. His two sons came from Khurasan in disguise. One of the undercover police came to the Al-Hajjaj (the governor) and said to him: the people say that Reb’ei Ibn Hirash never lied. Now his two sons came from Khurasan, they are dissenters. Al Hajjaj told him: bring this man to me. When Reb’ei Ibn Hirash came to Al Hajjaj, he asked him: Where are your sons? Reb’ei replied: I seek the Help of Allah, they are at home. Al Hajaj then said: By Allah you did well, I will never do any harm to them; they are yours (safe).

Malik bin Dinar said: I read in one of the books a quote “Every preacher will have his sermon compared to his acts, if he is honest then he is, but if he lies his lips will be gnawed by a cutter made of fire whenever its gnawed it grows again. He also said: Truth and falsehood battle in the heart until one of them drives the other out.

Haron Ibn Ri’ab said: When Abdullah Ibn Omar was dying, he said: one of men of Quraish asked me to engage my daughter to him and I gave him a promise, I fear to meet my Lord with one of the traits of hypocrisy, witness all of you that I married her to him.

Omar Ibn Abdulaziz talked to Al Walid Ibn Abdul Malik about something, Al Walid told him: you lied but Omar replied: I never lied since I knew that lying shames who utters it.

The sister of Al Raby’ Ibn Khothaim came to visit his son, she bent on him saying: my son, how are you? Al Raby’ then said: did you breastfeed him? She said: no. He then said: better to say oh my nephew so that you say the truth.

Yazid Ibn Maysara said: lying irrigates every evil as water irrigates the root of trees"

Omar bin Abdul Aziz said: I never lied since I reached the age puberty.

Remedy of lying

Dear Muslim brothers: If you want to know how lying is abhorrent, see how you hate those who lie and how you despise them.

· Muslims have to renew their repentance to Allah and to follow the causes that help to get rid of lying:

· The person who lies should know that lying is greatly prohibited and of its great punishment. He should remember that in every talk and in every place.

· One should get used to bear responsibility and to tell the truth regardless of any apparent defect, truth leads only to the good.

· One should watch his tongue and safeguard it from idle talks

· One should replace gatherings that lead to lying and idle talks with gatherings of Remembrance of Allah and scholars.

· Liars have to know that they have one trait of the hypocrites

· One should know that lying is the way to obscenity and truth is the way to paradise.

· We should bring our children up on the correct Islamic manners and make them used to honesty, and sincere before them.

· Liars should know that people will not trust them, which is a loss in this world and hereafter

· Liars should feel how the damages will affect Muslims as a result of their lying

Dear Muslim brothers:

Liars lie because they are humiliated
Or because they are ill mannered

Conclusion:

Dear kind brother: do not accompany liars because they are only mirage appears to be real but it isn’t! They will never benefit you, never humiliate yourself while knowing that he feels deep in himself that by his wits he was able to deceive you and conceal this defect. Escape from them and do not let them pollute your hearing, make your information false, or spoil your vision.

Dear brother:

Make your tongue get used to saying everything good
Tongues get used to what you get used to
It follows what you planned for it
Chose to yourself the way you like to follow

May Allah make us among those whom Allah says to them in the Day of Resurrection: "This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness" [Al Ma’ida 5:119]

Transliteration: hatha yawmu yanfaAAu alssadiqeena sidquhum



Abdul Malik Al Kasim
Prepared by: Al Kasim Publishing House
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – PO. POX: 6373 Riyadh 11442
Tel: 4092000 Fax: 4033150

Translated by Wathakker.net Website