Part 8 (a) Lying: It’s Types and Causes- Heart Therapy

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Read Part 8: Lying

Lying about Allah: The worst lie is that which lies about Allah and His Messenger (SAW). The prophet said, ‘Whoever intentionally lies about me, let him take his seat in the Fire.’

 ‘…those who invent lies about God will not prosper. They may have a little enjoyment but painful punishment awaits them.’ – Surah 16: 116-117

Ruling:

It is haraam to lie about the Prophet, and even more so Allah. This would include attributing to Him a statement or action.

Example:

Unfortunately, many people fall into this type of lying in their practicing of al-amr bi’l ma’ruf wa’l-nahy ‘an al-munkar, wherein they seek to enjoin a good practice or deter from a reprehensible one. And even though the intention might be sincere and good the person who does this accrues the wrath of Allah and assigns for himself, a seat in Hellfire.

Lying for profit (transaction or trade)

Another common occasion when people lie is when they are selling something.

Ruling and Proof:

The prophet (SAW) said: ‘Business men are sinners.’ He was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, didn’t Allah permit trade?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but they [the business people] take oaths and then [follow these with] sin [by breaking them], and [when] they speak and lie.’ [Ahmad and Al-Hakim]

Example:

When a tradesperson is trying to sell off his merchandise and is asked whether it is ‘worthy’ or ‘good’, or ‘perhaps deficient in any way’ etc, he finds it a challenge to state the deficiencies as he knows them.

Lying for entertainment:

Also, people often lie when they are in jest or for entertainment etc.

Proof:

The prophet (SAW) was reported to have said, ‘Woe to those who speak and lie to make people laugh. Woe to them. Woe to them.’ [Abu da’ud, al-nasai and al-tirmidhi]

Lying in the reporting of information

One should refrain from reporting everything he hears, as what one is exposed to contains falsehood as well as truth, when this information is not verified and yet is spread further, the falsehood, too, is spread.

Proof:

Abu Hurayrah (SAW) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, ‘It is sufficient to attribute lying to a person if he narrates everything that he hears.’ [Muslim]

The importance of Truth

Truthfulness is a characteristic that is very important and one which Muslims are obliged to engender within themselves. Abu Bakr (RA) narrates that the Prophet said, ‘Upon all of you is that you be truthful because truthfulness is [the companion of] piety and they are both in paradise.” [Ibn Majah and al-Nasa’i]

Lying in Actions:

Lying occurs both in actions as well as words, it occurs in one’s actions when he completes an action or adorns himself with a characteristic that will given an impression of him that is untrue, not indicative of reality.

Read the next part 8 (b): Lying-Prevention and Cure