Dangers of Lying and Virtues of Telling the Truth

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:

“Indeed, truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise, and a truthful person continues to speak the truth until he becomes the most truthful person. Lies lead to evil and evil leads to Hell, and a liar continues to lie until he is listed as a high ranking liar before Allah." [Al-Bukhari]

Lying is a widespread problem and is a root of other problems that occur on an individual and public level. Lies are spoken and written in the media and in politics, in business and in personal dealings, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, although the degree, magnitude and frequency may vary.

What Qur'an says about lying...

1. We are not to lie, even if this might win us an advantage.

And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong [by] taking your oaths as [means of] deceit between you because one community is more plentiful [in number or wealth] than another community. Allah only tries you thereby. And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ. [Quran, 16:92]

2. We’re not only to avoid lying ourselves, we’re also to avoid supporting liars in their sin.

And do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allah loves not one who is a habitually sinful deceiver. [Quran, 4:107]

3. When we lie, we lie first and foremost to ourselves— which puts us on a slippery slope to Hellfire.

They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. [Quran, 2:9]

4. Lying is a disease of the heart that only gets worse if left uncorrected.

In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie. [Quran, 2:10]

So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they will meet Him – because they failed Allah in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie. [Quran, 9:77]

5. Lying--especially lying about Allah-- is a symptom of injustice and results in extreme humiliation.

And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or says, ‘It has been inspired to me,’ while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, ‘I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed.’ And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], ‘Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation for what you used to say against Allah other than the truth and [that] you were, toward His verses, being arrogant.’ [Quran, 6:93]

The worst form of lying is to do so upon Allah and His Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) which is to falsely attribute things to them. Allah Almighty Says in the Quran (what means): "And if he [i.e., Muhammad] had made up about Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized by the right hand; then We would have cut from him the aorta " [Quran 69:44-46]

And (what means): "…And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful…." [Quran 2:283]

And (what means): "And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]." [Quran 2:42]

6. How do we tell liars from truthtellers? Allah doesn’t guide liars.

"…Indeed Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar." [Quran 40:28]

"…Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever." [Quran 39:3]

"…The curse of Allah be upon him if he should be among the liars." [Quran 24:7]

7. Hypocrites are liars too, because they lie to themselves.

Allah Says about them (what means): "In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie." [Quran 2:10]

Allah also addressed His Messenger Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam Saying (what means): "…Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars." [Quran 63:1]

8. We don’t need to worry about guarding ourselves against deception; Allah is ever ready to protect us.

But if they intend to deceive you – then sufficient for you is Allah. It is He who supported you with His help and with the believers. [Quran, 8:62]

9. No one can ever get away with lying; in the end it will be clear who was truthful and who was not.

But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. [Quran, 29:3]

10. The truthful have a wondrous reward

Truthfulness is commanded by Allah as a part of faith and is an indispensable quality of the believers. It is mentioned in various places in the Qur'an. Some examples are when Allah Almighty Says (what means):

"Allah will say, 'This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness.' For them are gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them, and they with Him. That is the great attainment." (119) [Quran, 5:119]

"That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth..." [Quran 33:24]

"O you who have believed! Fear Allah and be with those who are true." [Quran 9:119]

"O you who have believed! Fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice." [Quran 33:70]

"The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn." [Quran 3:17]

"The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful." [Quran 49:15]

May Allah make us of those who are truthful and protect us against lies. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Wassalaam