Islamic Manners (1): Sidq (Truthfulness)

by Abu Rumaysah

Allâh, Exalted is He says,
"You who have faith! Have taqwâ of Allâh and be with the truthful";
"…being true to Allâh would be better for them";

"… men and women who are truthful…Allâh has prepared for them forgiveness and an immense reward";

"Among the believers are those who have been true to the contract they made with Allâh. Some of them have fulfilled their pact by death and some are still waiting to do so, not having changed in any way at all. So that Allâh might recompense the truthful for their sincerity…"

Truthfulness is the conformity of the outer with the inner, speech with deed, and narrative with reality. [1]

Therefore truthfulness occurs in intention, speech and deed and not just speech as many people may think. As such a person who informs of something that is not in conformity to reality is not truthful, a person who does a good deed intending to show off is not being truthful, a hypocrite who shows faith but conceals disbelief is not being truthful, a person who shows one face here and another face there is not being truthful etc.

Ibn al-Qayyim said,

'Truthfulness is the greatest of stations, from it sprout all the various stations of those traversing the path to Allâh; and from it sprouts the upright path which if not trodden, perdition is that persons fate. Through it is the hypocrite distinguished from the believer and the inhabitant of Paradise from the denizen of Hell. It is the sword of Allâh in His earth: it is not placed on anything except that it cuts it; it does not face falsehood expect that it hunts it and vanquishes it; whoever fights with it will not be defeated; and whoever speaks it, his word will be made supreme over his opponent. It is the very essence of deeds and the well spring of spiritual states, it allows the person to embark boldly into dangerous situations, and it is the door through which one enters the presence of the One possessing Majesty. It is the foundation of the building of Islâm, the central pillar of the edifice of certainty and the next level in ranking after the level of prophethood.’ [2]

He, may Allâh have mercy upon him, said this based on the saying of Allâh,

"…Such are together with those who Allâh has blessed: the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What an excellent company such people are!"

The Messenger of Allâh (SAW) explained the virtue of truthfulness in many aĥâdîth, of which we have selected five here:

1. Bukhârî and Muslim record on the authority of ibn Mas ̀ûd that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) said,

"Truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise; a person remains truthful until he is written as a Şiddîq with Allâh. Lying leads to iniquity and iniquity leads to the Fire; a person keeps lying until he is written as a Kadhdhâb with Allâh."

Mâlik records that ibn Mas ̀ûd would say, 'Each time someone lies a black spot appears on his heart until his whole heart becomes black and he is written with Allâh as a Kadhdhâb.' He also records that it was asked of Luqmân, 'How have you reached this level in excellence?' He replied, 'By being true in speech, fulfilling trusts and leaving what does not concern me.'

An-Nawawî said,

'The scholars said: this ĥadîth contains encouragement towards remaining truthful by always intending it and taking care of speaking it, and it contains a warning from lying and being lax with regards to it, for if one is lax with regards to lying, frequently will he lie to the point that he will become known as a liar.' [3]

2. at-Tirmidhî records on the authority of al-Ĥasan bin ̀Alî that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) said,

"Leave that which causes you doubt for that which does not cause you doubt for in truthfulness lies tranquillity and in lying lies doubt."

This ĥadîth is one of the aĥâdîth around which the whole religion revolves: it is the foundation of scrupulousness (wara') around which revolves certainty; and it brings relief from the dark oppressiveness of doubts and speculation which prevent one from attaining the light of certainty[4]. This is because,

"The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear and between the two are doubtful matters that many people do not know about. Thus he who avoids these doubtful matters certainly clears himself in regard his religion and honour. But he who falls into the doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful: like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein and Allâh's sanctuary is His prohibitions." [5]

3. Ibn Ĥibbân records on the authority of ̀Ubâdah bin as-Sâmit that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) said,

"Guarantee me six and I will guarantee you Paradise: be truthful when you speak; fulfil your promises; carry out what you are entrusted with; safeguard your private parts; lower your gaze; and restrain your hands."

4. Ibn Mâjah records on the authority of ̀Abdullâh bin ̀Amr bin al- ̀Aş that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) was asked who the best of people was to which he replied, "The one who has a heart that is makhmûm and a truthful tongue." When asked what a makhmûm heart was, he replied, "A heart that is fearful and clean: It has no sin in it, no transgression and no envy."

5. Bukhârî and Muslim record on the authority of Ĥakım bin Ĥizâm that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) said

"The two parties in a trade are free [to accept or reject the commodity] so long as they do not part. If they are truthful and clarify, their transaction will be blessed; but if they lie and conceal, the blessings of their transaction will be eradicated."

In his commentary to this ĥadîth, ibn ̀Allân makes the following observation, 'If a trader is truthful in his dealings and does not act dishonestly, his trade will be blessed, in the same way if a servant is truthful in his dealings with his Lord and is not dishonest in fulfilling what is due Him through matters such as ostentation, showing off, or thinking his deeds to be great, his dealing will also be blessed:

"Allâh has bought from the believers their selves and their wealth in return for the Garden" [6]

In another ĥadîth the Prophet (SAW) pointed out that lying was in fact a trait of hypocrisy. Bukhârî and Muslim records on the authority of Abû Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) 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."

This ĥadîth points to falsehood and corruption in speech, deed and intention which are all source traits of hypocrisy: falsehood in speech by lying, falsehood in deed by betraying trusts and falsehood in intentions by intending to break an oath when one makes it. This latter case is what this ĥadîth is talking about and not about one who sincerely intended to fulfil an oath when he made it but was unable to due to some obstacle; this is shown by the narration of at-Ţabarânî with a good isnâd, "…when he makes an oath while intending to break it…".[7] This is why, in contrast to this, ̀Alî bin Abû Ţâlib said,

'Whoever does three things with regards to people will necessitate three things from them: whenever he speaks to them he is truthful; whenever they entrust him with something he does not betray them; and whenever he promises them something he fulfils it; if he does this, their hearts will love him; their tongues will praise him; and they will come to his aid.' [8]

Aĥmad records on the authority of ̀A'ishah that,

'There was no trait more abhorrent to the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) than lying.'

One is not even allowed to lie in jest, Aĥmad records that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) said,

"Woe to the person who lies to make people laugh, woe to him, woe to him!"

The Prophet (SAW) stressed the severity of this fact by repeating"woe to him"; this is because lying is the pinnacle of everything blameworthy and the common trait in everything disgraceful. If one adds to this the desire to make people laugh, laughing which kills the heart and breeds forgetfulness, neglect and frivolity, it becomes the worst of all despicable matters. [9]

He (SAW) also said, as recorded by at-Tirmidhî on the authority of Abû Umâmah,

"I guarantee a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who leaves off lying even if it be in jest."

Abu Ya ̀lâ records on the authority of ̀Umar bin al-Khaţţâb that the Messenger of Allâh (SAW) said,

"The servant will not attain the clarity of faith until he leaves jest, lying, and arguing even if he be in the right."

It is for this reason that Abû Bakr as-Şiddîq said, 'Beware of lying for lying is at odds to faith.' [10]

1 Salîm al-Hilâlî, Bahjatu-n-Nâdhirîn [ 1/120]
2 Ibn al-Qayyim, Madârij as-Sâlikîn [2/268]
3 ibn Ĥajr, Fatĥ al-Bârî [10/623]
4 Munâwî, Fayd al-Qadîr [3/706]
5 Bukhârî and Muslim on the authority of an-Nu ̀mân bin Bashîr.
6 Ibn ̀Allân, Dalîl al-Fâliĥîn [1/153]
7 al- ̀Ainî, ̀Umdatu-l-Qârî [1/329]
8 ibn Mufliĥ, Adâb ash-Sharî ̀ah [1/82]
9 Munâwî [6/477]
10 Bayhaqî, Shu ̀ab al-Imân [#4806]