Lies

Lying means to give false information knowingly. For example, one knows that something is black and one can also see that it is black but one says that it is white. It means that one lied. According to the Qur'an-e-Kareem, there is curse on those who commit this type of lie. Normally, a person lies for his benefit. He finds that he will be disappointed if he speaks the truth. Or he will incur a lost by saying the truth. But a person must know that all benefits that we seek and all that which we need are in the hands of Allah Ta'ala. And a person cannot acquire this by disobeying Allah Ta'ala. Thus, it is futile to lie. The benefit that a person may get by lying is temporary. However, he becomes a prisoner forever. Now he has to utter ten lies but even then it won’t remain hidden forever. If here in this world, he has been able to escape, there in the hereafter, he will not be saved. There, it will be more serious because his fault will be revealed to the entire humanity. This means that sooner or later the true image of each one of us will be revealed.

A person who is truly dignified and respectable cannot lie. A dignified person must be an honest person. Lying is against honesty. This means that a person who lies cannot be an honest person. Thus, by lying, a person comes out of the list of those who are dignified and honest. In other words, a person who lies is an undignified and a dishonest person.

It is rumoured that one cannot become a politician as long as one does not lie. If this is true, then it gives one an idea of ​​the condition of the leaders of the entire world. We hope that it is not such in our small island of paradise. But the appearance is not in favour of this wish.

Lying in regards to Deen is even more serious. To exaggerate in presenting something of Deen or to minimise the importance of something important tantamount to a cover-up which is a type of lie. This one is more serious as it causes the Deen and the Imaan of an entire community to suffer. Many people are deviated and they become distanced from the truth.

Sometimes, it happens that a person speaks with complete sincerity in accordance to what he believes deep-down in himself. Later, he comes to the conclusion that his friend was absolutely right in regards to what he said. In such a case, he must retract from his confusion and error. In such a situation, to remain silent and not to say anything is to cover-up the truth. And this represents a lie. By doing this, he is committing dishonesty towards the Deen and he is misleading his followers and he is allowing them to continue to remain in error. And this is very serious. Whereas dignified and honest people do not hesitate to retract when they come to know of their mistake. Great personalities such as Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi alayh), Imam Malik (Rahmatullahi alayh), Imam Shaafi'i (Rahmatullahi alayh) and Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal (Rahmatullahi alayh), have all retracted without any hesitation each time that they have learned of their error. It is only those who are lowly and those who are undignified in their nature who want to hide behind this false make-up of dignity and honour by committing the grave and ugly sin of lying. But unfortunately, they do not succeed in attaining their goal besides temporarily enjoying life on this earth. And finally, they have to pay more than what they have enjoyed.  The punishment in Aakhirah is more severe. Nothing will be able to remain hidden there. All sins will be exposed.

"اللهم استرعوراتى وامن روعاتى"

"O Allah! Conceal my faults and grant me peace from all my anxieties"

[English version of "Mensonge" – Al Jamiat – Vol.5 No.4]