Allah (SWT) showed us that all kinds of righteousness, wholly, are summarised, in their most elevated form, in utter truthfulness. Islam emphasised the importance of abiding by truthfulness at all times. Lack of truthfulness is the thing that societies suffer from nowadays. Lying is such a wicked habit. It is the stem of all other ailments that societies ache with. Allah says:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَكُن لِّلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا
“Indeed, We to you the Book with the truth so that you may judge between the people with what Allah has shown you. And (do) not be for the deceitful a pleader.” (Surah An-Nisa` 4:105)
Speaking the truth is the most important and powerful aspect of Islam. God has instructed Muslims to speak the truth in every situation, no matter what the situation is. In Islam, God rewards Muslims for speaking the truth. Muslims have to build the courage and power to speak the truth to enter Paradise. Allah, Exalted be He, has made clear in the Quran that telling the truth is also a way of attaining success and salvation on the Day of Judgment. Allah says:
إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَا تُسْأَلُ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ الْجَحِيمِ
“Indeed We! [We] have sent you with the truth, (as) a bearer of good news and (as) a warner. And not you will be asked about (the) companions (of) the blazing Fire.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:119 )
Islam puts great emphasis on speaking the truth in all situations; in fact, it teaches us to speak the truth against our own interests. Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hellfire, and a man may keep telling lies until he is written before Allah as a liar.
Islam has declared it as one key element of a good character; the values of telling the truth are listed below:
- Truthfulness helps individuals be rewarded here and hereafter
- Truthfulness helps individuals attain rewards from Allah
- Truthfulness is one of the necessities of our society
- Truthfulness includes being truthful towards Allaah
- Truthfulness saved from destruction and calamities
- Truthfulness is a virtue of human behaviour
- Truthfulness in conveying the religion
- Truthfulness brings glorious benefits
- Truthfulness is a kind of goodness
- Truthfulness brings great benefits
- Truthfulness: Practice what you preach
- Truthfulness, beware of lying to children
- Truthfulness realises that lying is bad for you
- Truthfulness is human nature and physiology
- Truthfulness avoids supporting liars in their sin
- Truthfulness trains you with a no-excuse policy
- Truthfulness urges us to always speak the truth
- Truthfulness emphasises this great type of manner
- Truthfulness is a common part of human relationships
- Truthfulness is one of the excellencies of human attitude
Islam commands Muslims to be honest with themselves and with others. Islam orders the Muslim to tell the truth even if it is against their own interests. Islam orders him not to cheat or betray other people. A Muslim is ordered by Allah to be truthful in his words and deeds, privately and publicly alike. Many societies are facing a lack of truthfulness, which is a bad habit, as it is the root of all bad habits. Allah says:
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“(To) those whom We gave [them] the Book, they recognise it like they recognise their sons. And indeed, a group of them surely conceal the Truth while they know.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:146)
Islam is the only religion that guides its followers in every step of their lives. There are various good manners and excellent morals that Islam teaches us, and truthfulness is one of them. Telling the truth is key to all doors of goodness that may lead to Paradise. In reality, truthfulness is a vast curriculum. It is as much one of the characteristics of the Muslim’s personality, both outward and inward, as it is his speech and action. Allah says:
وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
“And (do) not mix the Truth with [the] falsehood and conceal the Truth while you [you] know.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:42 )
A person who always speaks the truth means he is an honest, trustworthy and faithful person. Truthfulness is something that is to be cultivated till it becomes implanted in a person’s soul and disposition, and therefore reflected throughout the person’s character, the positive reciprocal effect of behaving truthfully with people in this worldly life.
Allah revealed many verses about truthfulness in The Holy Quran:
- “Truly Allah loves the Muttaqin.” (Quran, 3:76)
- “These are they on whom Allah bestowed favours…” (Quran 19:58)
- “Be careful of your duty to Allah and be with the truthful.” (Quran 9:119)
- “O you who believe! Repent to God with most sincere repentance.” (Quran 66:8)
- “O you who believe! Have fear of God, and be among the truthful.” (Quran 9:119)
- “So put your trust in Allah, indeed, you (are) on the truth manifest.” (Quran 27:79)
- “If they had been true to Allaah, it would have been better for them.” (Quran 47:21)
- “And mention in the Book, Enoch: surely he was a most truthful Prophet.” (Quran 19:56)
- “That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or turn mercifully towards them … “ (Quran 33:64)
Telling yourself the truth can be the best habit you can develop, and asking questions and talking things through with yourself can be the easiest and quickest way to establish this habit. In Islam, truthfulness is the conformity of the outer with the inner, the action with the intention, the speech with belief, and the practice with the preaching. Allah says:
قُلْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ فَاتَّبِعُوا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
“Say, Allah (has) spoken the truth, then follow (the) religion (of) Ibrahim (the) upright, and not he was of the polytheists.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:95 )
Allah ordered the believers to tell the truth and urged them to be among the truthful. Truth has great power, and it is the rock foundation of every great character. No one likes to tell lies, but we feel that being dishonest with others and ourselves is sometimes easier than telling the truth. Learning to be honest and eliminating the need for lies can help clean up your conscience and your relationships. Allah says:
إِنَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا
“Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward.” (Surah Al-Isra 17:9)
Truthfulness is the backbone of any peaceful and sincere society. If all Muslims try to adopt this great and basic character, there is no doubt and no hurdle in the way of their success. Being truthful in all situations requires sincerity of heart and limbs by virtue of the fact that the heart can’t desire and the limbs can’t respond except for whatever pleases Allah. May Allah make us among the truthful in words, deeds and all situations and help us obey Him and those He has ordained us to obey.
