Lying is a major sin and it is Haram to do so. Every good objective that can be achieved by telling truth or lying, it is haram to lie to achieve that objective. If a good objective can only be achieved by lying, it will be allowable to lie to achieve the objective if the objective was desirable. Indeed, every Muslim (human) do not do lies without having accurate knowledge about them. A lie without truth is one of the sins. 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)
Lying is an act that hides something by saying incorrect or dishonest. Lies are also usually used by some people for profit. Of course, lies are things that are prohibited in Islam. All Muslims should avoid doing lies within act and talk. Lying in public to get praise or kindness from the community is a very blameworthy act. This act is usually called a hypocrite the hypocrites are liars. Allah says:
إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ
“When the hypocrites come to you, (O Muhammad), they say, “We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah. And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.” (Surah Al-Munafiqun 63:1)
Islam judges man’s character by the degree of his belief and his favourable traits and fervently struggles to strengthen these two factors. For instance, Islam has made man’s faith a guarantee for the credibility of his statements when he executes an oath. Have you ever met someone who tells something but is it not based on facts? This is one of the forms of lies and this is one of the characteristics that he is a liar. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِي الْكَذِبَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ
“They only invent falsehood who do not believe in the verse of Allah, and it is those who are the liars.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:105)
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. Indeed, those who are believers and fear Allah are those who are honest and those who are believers always with the righteous. Besides, those who do lies are not believers and they are always with the disbelievers.
Here are some prohibitions of lying in Islam that you must know:
- Lying leads to a false claim and a dishonest claimant
- Lying leads you to sin and sin takes you to Hell
- Lying helplessness of the servant with regards
- Liar is doomed because of lies that he utters
- Lying requires the observing of Taqwa
- Lying grave consequence of sins
- Lying painful punishment for sins
- Lying is poles apart from belief
- Lying is a sign of a hypocrite
- Lying in jest and pleasantry
- Lies don’t have any benefit
- Lying is an evil and a sin
- Angels curse the liars
- The liar is not a believer
- A strict prohibition of lie
- Tell someone when you lie
- Honest people are believers
- Terrible punishment for the liars
- Keep away from little and big lies
- Lying is the foundation of badness
- The liar is eligible for the divine curse
- Try to figure out what pressured you to lie
- The greatest sinner is the one who has lied
- Remind yourself how lying messes up your life
- Lying in the name of Allah and the Messenger of Allah SWT
Someone who dares to lie in the name of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad PBUH) surely will get sins and will be placed in hellfire. While a Muslim lies about something in the name of Allah, indeed the reward given by Allah Almighty is very painful.
“Whoever intentionally lies on my behalf then the place of return is hellfire.” (Bukhari Muslim)
If faith is the foundation of honesty, on the contrary lying is the foundation of badness (hypocrite). In a verse in the Quran, it is explained that someone honest will benefit from the truth. While people who lie will only get losses and get a worse reply from Allah. Allah says:
لَوْلَا يَنْهَاهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
“Why do the rabbits and religious scholars not forbid them from saying what is sinful and devouring what is unlawful? How wretched is what they have been practising.” (Surah Al-Ma`idah 5:63)
A Muslim can lie to protect his life, wealth and honour; and it is compulsory to lie to protect another Muslim’s life, wealth and honour. No one can make a habit of lying and give the excuse that Islam encourages us to lie to save our honour and the honour of others.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
- “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 Ghāfir, 40:34)
- “… If they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them.” (Quran 47: 21)
- “O, you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true.” (Quran 9:119)
- “This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness. For them are gardens (in Paradise) beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them, and they with Him. That is the great attainment.” (Quran 5:119)
- “And whoever obeys Allah and The Messenger those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favour of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.” (Quran 4:69)
In the Hereafter, Allah will divide the two classes of people, namely between the hypocrites and the believers. Verily honesty is like the sword of Allah on earth capable of resisting and defeating the sounds of its enemies. Allah will reward every liar who does a lie. Allah says:
لِّيَجْزِيَ اللَّهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْ وَيُعَذِّبَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ إِن شَاءَ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
“That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He will or accept their repentance. Indeed, Allah is Ever-Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:24)
As a Muslim do honesty in words and deeds. Please, be honest in words and deeds as well as our heads and bodies. That way, we are included in the peoples who brings the truth. While a Muslim lies about something in the name of Allah, indeed the reward given by Allah is very painful. Allah says:
وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
“And the one who has brought the truth and (they who) believed in it. Those are righteous.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:33)
A Muslim’s oath can replace evidence, under certain circumstances. and is therefore decisive in settling disputes. Islam has also made man’s testimony a method for proving rights. Thus, if lying appears in its red fearful shape in any of the above-mentioned cases then it is clear how great damage can result in a form of such behaviour.
