Telling lies is worse than other sins and it is more harmful than the others are. A liar is miserable, impious and faithless. Lying is the complete opposite of the truth. Islam rejects lying in all forms. However, there are a few instances where even Islam allows lying for the sake of brotherhood. Lying is something that almost everyone does, both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We sometimes lie without even meaning to do it. Think before you say something about others. Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا

“And those who harm the believing men and the believing women for other than what they have earned, then certainly, they bear false accusation and sin manifest.” (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:58)

Being truthful and trustworthy is among the greatest virtues a human can possess. Lying leads to corruption and deceit. For example, just take a look at how many politicians across the world have been elected as pillars of trust by the denizens of their states only to be hauled off to jail towards the end of their term due to corruption and blatant lying. They lied to get elected and those lies snowballed into other vices like misappropriating government funds or engaging in illicit deeds. Allah says:

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا

“And do not pursue that of which you do not know. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart – about all those (one) will be questioned.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:36 )

Lies often roll off the human tongue just as fast as moths are attracted to an open flame, the consequences of both are sometimes equally flammable. Being truthful is an endearing quality that we all would be blessed to attain in our lifetime and is a commodity that is becoming more scarce in this world as the hands of time relentlessly spin round and round. Be very cautious and extremely careful while making comments about a person in his absence.

الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ النَّاسُ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُ مَنْ أَمِنَهُ النَّاسُ عَلَى دِمَائِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ

“The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one people trust with their lives and wealth.” (Sunan al-Nasa 4995)

Islam rejects lying and deception in all forms of life and society:

1. Lying leads to a false claim and a dishonest claimant
2. Lying to get financial aid by providing false proofs
3. Lying worst form is to stand witness to support
4. Lying leads you to sin and sin takes you to Hell
5. Lying practices and shunning false utterances
6. Lying is against the teachings of all prophets
7. Lying is an embellishment of Satan’s hands
8. Lying has been forbidden even in-jokes
9. Lying provide to get a false certificate
10. Lying exhibits the inner hollowness
11. Lying is highly condemnable
12. Lying is the worst vice
13. Lying causes forgetfulness
14. Lying washes out its reward
15. Lying to get time off from work
16. Lying is one of the greatest sins
17. Lying renders the heart incapable 
18. Lying is a highly idolatrous beliefs
19. Lying has many faces in our society
20. Islam attest to the morals or character
21. Pray to Allah in secret to forgive the sins
22. Lying is forbidden in humorous conversation
23. Falsehood deprives the liar of the taste of faith
24. Lying made a mole for character assassination
25. The vice of lying questions the character of the liar

Whenever a believer tells a lie without having any excuse, seventy thousand angels will curse him. A bad smell comes out of his stomach which will reach heaven. Therefore abandoning lies means abandoning all sins.

“Lying is not permitted except in three cases: a man speaking to his wife to make her happy; lying in times of war, and lying to reconcile between people.” (Tirmidhi)

Evidently, by abandoning sins, human beings will gain a lot whereas one who tells lies will not only suffer losses in the hereafter but will suffer in this world and be ruined. Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ

“O you who believe! If an evil-doer comes to you with a report, look carefully into it, lest you harm a people in ignorance, then be sorry for what you have done.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:6)

Every kind of lie and every method of speaking an untruth is Harām. Just as it is Harām to speak a lie with the tongue it is similarly Harām to write something false. This tantamounts to lying and is a sin. Similarly propagating the words of a liar while being aware that they are untrue is Harām, and so is supporting a liar.

Here are some Quranic verses denounce about lying:

• “That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth…” (Quran 33:24)
• “… the curse of Allah be on him if he is one of the liars.” (Surah an-Nūr 24:8)
• “…The curse of Allah is upon him if he should be among the liars.” (Quran 24:7)
• “…Surely Allah does not guide him who is extravagant, a liar.” (Surah Ghafir, 40:34)
• “…Indeed Allah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar.” (Quran 40:28)
• “Only they forge the lie who do not believe in the signs of Allah.” (Surah an-Nahl 16:l05)
• “Surely Allah does not guide him aright who is a liar, ungrateful.” (Surah az-Zumar 39:3)
• “…therefore avoid the uncleanness of the idols and avoid false words.” (Surah Hajj 22:30)
• “Say: ‘Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never be successful.” (Yunus 10:69)
• “The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.” (Quran 3:17)
• “…there shall be no intercourse nor transgression nor quarrelling amongst one another (during Hajj).” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:197)
• “…Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.” (Quran 63: 1)
• “…And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful….” (Quran 2:283)
• “…Indeed, Allah does not guide him who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.” (Quran 39:3)
• “O you who have believed! Fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.” (Quran 33:70)
• “And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].” (Quran 2:42)

Undoubtedly, lying is the worst of sins. The evils of lying are more dreadful than those of adultery. Some false words lead to war between two tribes or two sections of the society. Some lie blights the honour of thousands of people or endanger their lives, or lead to economic disasters. Allah says:

فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ

“In their hearts (is) a disease so has increased them Allah (in) disease, and for them (is) a punishment painful because they used to [they] lie.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:10)

Telling lies affects speech as well as deeds and character. Sometimes, a human being does something that indicates his good nature, whereas his intention is not good. Avoid suspicion and mistrust and think good of people. May Allah clean our hearts, and enable us to watch our tongue and our acts, Aamin.