A Liar is An Evil Person.

A Liar is An Evil Person.

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of al-'ālameen. There is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

Prologue: A lie or falsehood can be anything spoken or written that is totally or partially baseless, unreal, made-up, distorted, or exaggerated; for example, if someone were too deliberately state that a five foot pole was a ten foot pole, then this would be a lie. It is the complete opposite of truth. It is anything that is untrue and deliberately intended to mislead another person is a lie.

Similarly praising someone out of proportion is a form of a lie.

Lying is Disease of the Heart

Lying and falsehood are widespread problems and are roots 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.

Lying is against human nature and physiology, and like any other disease, it has its own unique signs and symptoms. The act of lying produces inner conflicts between various control centers of the brain.

The moment one begins to lie, his body sends out contradictory signals to cause facial muscle twitching, expansion and contraction of pupils, perspiration, flushing of cheeks, increased blinking of the eye, tremors of the hand, and an increased heart rate. These constitute the basis of lie detector instruments. In addition, certain unconsciously made movements are noticeable in those who lie, like the constant covering of the mouth, touching of the nose, rubbing of the eye, scratching the side of the neck, rubbing the ear, etc.

One of the clearest signs is that the liar keeps his palms closed and his eyes in another direction to the person he is lying to, in an attempt to avoid eye-to-eye contact. A liar is aware of his body’s signals and finds lying easier when nobody can see him, such as when he is on the phone or writing.

The Motives of a Liar

A Liar Tells A Lie For The Following Purpose:

a) Concealing the truth, as he may be afraid of the truth or its punitive consequences by the law or certain individuals.

b) Cheating and deceiving others and enjoying their misery, as Satan did with Adam.

c) Short-term worldly gains, such as gaining the favors of others or monetary gains.

Forms of Lying

The worst form of lying is to do so upon Allāh that is to falsely its attributes:

Allāh Almighty Says in the Quran: "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” [Surah Al-Haqqah, 69:44-46]

"…And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful…." [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:283]

"And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]." [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:42]

Hypocrites are liars too, because they lie to themselves. Allāh Says about them:

"In their hearts is disease, so Allāh has amplified their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie." [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:10]

Allāh also addressed His Messenger Muhammad (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) Saying: "…Allāh knows that you are His Messenger, and Allāh testifies that the hypocrites are liars." [Surah Al-Munafiqun, 63: 1]

The Quran on Liars

Allāh Says: "…Indeed Allāh does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar." [Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:28],and: "…Indeed, Allāh does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever." [Surah A-Zumar, 39:3] Almighty Allāh also says: "…The curse of Allāh be upon him if he should be among the liars." [Surah An-Nur, 24:7]

The Messenger on Lying and Liars

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu '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 Allāh." [Al-Bukhari]

Yusuf Ibn ‘Abdullah said that he asked Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam): "O Messenger of Allāh! What do you think is the most dreadful thing for me?" Yusuf continued: "The Messenger caught hold of his tongue and said: "This." [At-Tirmidzi]

Bahaz Ibn Hakim related that the Messenger (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Destruction is for the man who tells lies for the amusement of other people. Destruction is for him." [At-Tirmidzi]

Sufian Ibn Usaid reported that the Messenger (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam) said: "The biggest breach of trust is that you tell a thing to your brother who believes it to be true, whereas you have lied to him." [Abu Dawud]

'Abdullah bin 'Amr (radiallāhu‘anhu) narrated that The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa allam)  said: "Whoever has the following four [characteristics] will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up: 1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. 2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous. 4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner."[Al-Bukhari]

Is Lying Ever Justified?

There are very few justifications for lying in Islam. The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) directed us to tell the truth, even under the harshest circumstances of oppression. However, one may choose not to tell the truth when:

He is being oppressed and there is a real danger to his life if he speaks the truth. Sheikh As-Sa’di narrated the following story: "A cruel king ordered an innocent villager present in his court to be executed due to the villager's lack of manners. Hearing this, the villager began cursing the king in his native language. The king asked his minister, who understood the man's language, to tell him what the man was saying. The wise minister, instead of telling the truth, told the king that the man was sorry for his conduct and was praising his greatness and pleading for his mercy. The king was affected and therefore spared the life of the innocent villager." Sheikh As-Sa'di called this "A lie with wisdom."

To promote harmony between spouses. For example, if one's wife asks him if she is beautiful or if he loves her, there is no harm in answering in the affirmative, even if this is not the case.

While making peace between two quarrelling parties, so that the ordeal would not ignite into something worse. The mediator in such a case may falsely tell one party that the other is speaking highly of them.

To make the unbelievers realize the truth. When Prophet Ibrahim ('alayhis sallam) broke all the idols except the largest of them, the unbelievers entered the temple and saw the smashed idols. Ibrahim had placed the axe in the hand of the chief idol. The disbelievers asked: "Who broke our gods?" He said: "Ask the chief idol, he has the axe." They replied: "Do you not know that he cannot speak or act?" Ibrahim replied: "This is what I have been telling you, so worship Allāh, rather than these stones that cannot harm or profit you."

Virtues of Telling the Truth

Truthfulness is commanded by Allāh as a part of faith and is an indispensable quality of the believers. It is mentioned in over one hundred places in the Quran. Some examples are when Allāh Almighty Says:

"That Allāh may reward the truthful for their truth…" [Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:24]

"O you who have believed! Fear Allāh and be with those who are true." [Surah At-Tawbah, 9:119]

"O you who have believed! Fear Allāh and speak words of appropriate justice." [Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:70]

"The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allāh], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn."[Surah Ali-‘Imran, 3:17]

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

It is not necessary to relate any prophetic traditions about the truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam) as his whole life was nothing but the epitome of truth. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam) was confirmed as a truthful person even before he became a Prophet. During his prophethood, even his enemies confirmed that he was truthful and trustworthy. Some of the disbelievers would deposit their belongings with him as an indication of their trust in him.

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

[Via Islamweb]

The Virtues of Truthfulness #2

The Virtues of Truthfulness

By Ben Adam

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-`ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger

Lying and Hypocrisy

Description: Falsehood, the opposite of truthfulness; and the warning against insincerity, lying, deceit and hypocrisy.

Just as truthfulness is the very cornerstone of the upright person’s character and the springboard for his virtuousness, falsehood, its opposite, is the foundation of a person’s depravity and the launch pad for his wickedness. Just as the truthfulness of a person starts from within - that is, it is a reflection of a state of true faith - a person’s dishonesty, lying and deceit is also a reflection of the inner state. This is why Allah mentions truthfulness as being the opposite of hypocrisy:

“That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or turn mercifully towards them...” (Quran 33:24)

…and why He mentions sincerity as a mark of truthfulness.

“So that Allah might recompense the truthful for their sincerity….”

Little wonder then that the most righteous and truthful of people, the Prophets of God [1] and their true followers, were not belied, denounced, opposed, oppressed and rejected except by those who were given to dishonesty, deceit and hypocrisy.

“It is only those who believe not in the Signs of Allah, who fabricate falsehood, and it is they who are the liars.” (Quran 16:105)

That is regards to falsehood in faith. As for falsehood indeed, God states in the Quran.

“...that He may try you, which of you is the best in deeds.” (Quran 67:2)

A scholar from the early period of Islam, Fudail bin Iyad, commented on this verse, explaining:

“‘which of you Is the best in deeds’ means ‘the most sincere and correct.’ If the deed is sincere and not correct, it will not be accepted, and if it is correct and not sincere, it will not be accepted. It will not be accepted until it is both sincere and correct!”

One everyday example of where sincerity and correction of action are often subverted by falsehood is in the buying and selling of goods. Hence we find the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) saying:

“If they (two parties meeting to trade) are truthful and clarify (any and all deficiency in their goods), their transaction will be blessed. But if they lie and conceal (any deficiency in their goods), the blessings of their transaction will be eradicated.” [2]

And what of falsehood in speech? Falsehood of the tongue, or what is more commonly referred to as lying, is a characteristic roundly rejected by the entire world – even if its inhabitants may fall into it from time to time. After all, if God would punish his last and greatest Prophet in case he were to lie…

“If he (Prophet Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) had invented false sayings concerning Us, We would surely have grasped him firmly, and then cut off the artery of his heart, and none of you could have withheld Us from doing this.” (Quran 69:44-7)

…then how could lying be acceptable from anyone else besides His Prophet?! And he, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam), the Truthful One, said:

“A slave’s faith will not be upright until his heart is upright, and his heart will not be upright until his tongue is upright, and a man whose neighbor is not safe from his harm will not enter Paradise.” [3]

The Prophet’s Companion, Abdullah bin Mas’ud (radiyallahu’anhu) would also say: “Each time someone lies, a black spot appears on his heart until his whole heart becomes black and he is written with God as a habitual liar.”

Thus, the habitual liar is despised, truly and thoroughly despised, by all – even his own kind – as no-one can trust a liar, not even other liars. And just as clarity in speech is a sign of truthfulness, so then ambiguity, innuendo, sarcasm and every other form of deception and trickery of the tongue is denounced in Islam. Even lying in jest has been condemned by the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) when he said:

“I guarantee a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who leaves off lying even if it be in jest.” [4]

...and his saying:

“Woe to the person who lies to make people laugh! Woe to him, woe to him!” [5]

The Prophet’s closest friend and immediate temporal successor, Abu Bakr as-Şiddiq (i.e. the truthful - so named by the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) due to the truthfulness of his faith), further said:

“Beware of lying, for lying opposes (true) faith.” [6]

And the daughter of Abu Bakar, (radiyallahu’anhu),   Aishah, (radiyallahu’anha), who was the beloved wife of the Prophet, (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam), mentioned that:

“There was no trait more abhorrent to the Messenger of God, may God praise him, than lying.” [7]

Suffice as deterrence from lying is its being listed as a trait of that most wretched of conditions: hypocrisy. The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said:

“The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies; when he makes an oath he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.” [8]

Not only do we learn about the abhorrence of directly lying itself, but Islam also mercifully educates us as to the dangers of all that which indirectly leads to lying.

Again from Aishah (radiyallahu’anha) we learn that the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) would invoke his Lord, praying: “O God! I seek refuge with you from all sins, and from being in debt.” When asked: “O Messenger of God! You frequently seek refuge with God from being in debt!” The Prophet of God, may God praise him, replied: “If a person is in debt, he tells lies when he speaks, and breaks his promises when he promises.” [9]

In the same vain, the Prophet(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) explicitly ordered his followers:

“Leave that which causes you doubt for that which does not cause you doubt. For in truthfulness lies tranquility, and in lying lies doubt.”[10]

Striving for truthfulness then, in spirit, word and deed, is a matter which requires the utmost steadfastness from the believer, as well as the utmost vigilance against the dangers of falsehood, insincerity, deceit and hypocrisy:

“That God will reward the People of Truth for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if that be His Will, or turn to them in Mercy; for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 33:24)

Footnotes:

[1] The Companion, Anas bin Malik, reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)even mentioned how: ‘A Prophet does not (even) wink!’ (Abu Dawud, Nisa’ie, Hakim, Ahmad)

[2] Reported by Hakim b. Hizam, in Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

[3] Reported by the Companion, Anas bin Malik (radiyallahu’anhu)  in As-Sahihah.

[4] Reported by Abu Umamah, in At-Tirmidzi.

[5] Reported by Mu‘awiyah bin Jaidah al-Qushairi in Abu Dawud.

[6] Baihaqi, Shu‘ab al-Iman.

[7] Ahmad.

[8] Reported by the Companion, Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu’anhu), in Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

[9] Sahih Al-Bukhari.

[10] Reported by Al-Hasan bin Ali, in At-Tirmidzi.

[Via IslamReligion]

See: Malice of Lying.

The Malice of Lying

The Malice of Lying

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Description: The phenomenon of lying which has regretfully become a “fabric of social life.”

Lying is a common part of human relationships. People lie for a variety of reasons. They may lie as part of self-presentation, in order to present a more favorable image to others. People may also lie in order to minimize conflict, because lying may make disagreements less obvious. Although lying may serve useful functions in these respects, it can also be damaging to relationships. An exposed lie undermines trust and sows suspicion, because a person who has been lied to is likely to mistrust the person who lied in the future.[1]

Some people even lie due to habit at first impulse. ‘Everyday lies are really part of the fabric of social life,’ says Bella DePaulo, a psychologist and lying expert at the University of Virginia. Her research shows both men and women lie in approximately a fifth of their social exchanges lasting 10 or more minutes; over the course of a week they deceive about 30 percent of those with whom they interact one-on-one. Furthermore, some types of relationships, such as those between parents and teens, are virtual magnets for deception. Lying is considered integral to many occupations: we see lawyers constructing far-fetched theories on behalf of their clients or reporters misrepresenting themselves in order to gain access to good stories.[2]

Lying is a despicable vice, rampant in our societies. Deceiving others with the canny use of words is seen as clever. Public figures lie. Governments lie. One of the distinctions of our age is that lying no longer carries the stigma it once did. Today lying has become institutionalized. It is the way many of us live now, right from the top, because we figured out that if we are persuasive enough, lying works. Countries are invaded and wars are started based on lies. “We” never lie, we just bend the truth a little, put a spin, having no intention to mislead, but the “others” are liars. Ours is a society that has perfected the “art” of lying. Gone are the days when a lie destroyed the liar’s dignity and deprived him of our trust.

Islam views lying as a serious vice. Allah says in the Quran:

“And do not say that of which you have no knowledge.” (Quran 17:36)

The Prophet, (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)   stressed the importance of always being truthful and the seriousness of habitual lying, “Truthfulness leads to piety and piety leads to the Paradise. A man should be truthful until he is written down as truthful with God. Lying leads to deviance and deviance leads to the Fire. A man will lie until he is written down as a liar with God.”[3] 

Truth is to state what corresponds with reality, how things are, and is the opposite of lying. The malice of lying is tied to hypocrisy as described by the Prophet Muhammad(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam): “If anyone has four characteristics, he is a pure hypocrite, and if anyone has one of them, he has an aspect of hypocrisy until he gives it up: whenever he is trusted, he betrays his trust; whenever he speaks, he lies; when he makes an agreement, he breaks it; and when he quarrels, he deviates from the truth by speaking falsely.”[4] 

The Prophet’s teaching (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)  is that we try our best to free ourselves of hypocrisy by keeping our trusts, telling the truth, keeping our promises, and not speaking falsely.

Islamicly, the most heinous lie is against God, His prophets, His revelation, and bearing false witness. We should be careful not to make false excuses like ‘I was too busy or I forgot,’ or say words that can be taken as promises by others like ‘I’ll call back tomorrow,’ with no such intention. At the same time, not lying should not be confused with impoliteness, ‘saying at it is,’ but we should be careful not to lie about little things when no one apparently gets hurt. This can be done by carefully choosing our words.

Is “Never lie!” an absolute principle of Islam or are there exceptions? Suppose that a would-be murderer comes knocking on your door, looking for his victim. Is the morally correct answer, “She’s hiding upstairs, hoping you will go away”? Philosophers like Kant wrote as if this was in fact the morally correct thing to do, but Islamicly, lying is justified in such cases.

Footnotes:

[1] ‘The Right to Do Wrong: Lying to Parents among Adolescents and Emerging Adults,’ by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Elizabeth Cauffman, S. Shirley Feldman, Lene Arnett Jensen; Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 33, 2004.

[2] ‘The truth about lying,’ by: Allison Kornet. Psychology Today, Publication Date: May/Jun 97

[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim

[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim

[ Via IslamReligion.com]