Why We Lie-An Islamic perspective

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يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدً

O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. (Al Quran, al-Ahzab 33:70)

“To say or write something that is not true in order to deceive someone” Cambridge dictionary

Lying is a common human aspect, which is considered as a great sin by all religions. An innumerable number of books have been written on the psychology of lying and its effects on social aspects, proving it to be highly negative. New researches are proving that dishonesty and lying not only affects us socially, but it also has overwhelming effects on our own physical and mental health.

The more you lie, The easier it gets, and The more likely you are to do it again

By using scans that measured the brain’s response to lying, researchers saw that each new lie resulted in smaller and smaller neurological reactions ― especially in the amygdala, which is the brain’s emotional core. In effect, each new fib appeared to desensitize the brain, making it easier and easier to tell more lies. (huffpost)

The habit of lying is a human trait as explained by researchers, but it develops over a span of time. The children take effect from the parents and then learning institutions. The social media has great role in current times, which has high impact in developing children. Our social structure greatly reflects in our younger generations.

People lie because of many reasons, research has summarized them into some common categories;

• Personal contravention: Cover-up a mistake or crime
• Economic gains: Gain financial benefits
• Personal advantage: Benefits beyond money
• Self-impression: Project a positive image of ourselves
• Humor: Make people laugh
• Noble: To help people out of a difficult situation
• Social or political: Uphold social roles or avoid rudeness
• Malicious: Hurt other people out of jealousy
• Pathological: Ignore or disregard reality
• Avoidance: Escape or evade other people

Lying is Haram, as all the religions implicate; particularly in Islam. Being truthful and trustworthy is among the greatest virtues a human can possess, lying leads to corruption and deceit. The Quran is explicit in this regard

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِين

“O you who believe! Fear Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).” (Al Quran, At-Taubah 9:119)

إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِي الْكَذِبَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ

They only invent falsehood who do not believe in the verses of Allah, and it is those who are the liars. (Quran, An-Nahl 16:105)

أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّار

Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], “We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position.” Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever. (Quran, Az-Zumar 39:3)

فَمَن حاجَّكَ فيهِ مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ العِلمِ فَقُل تَعالَوا نَدعُ أَبناءَنا وَأَبناءَكُم وَنِساءَنا وَنِساءَكُم وَأَنفُسَنا وَأَنفُسَكُم ثُمَّ نَبتَهِل فَنَجعَل لَعنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الكاذِبينَ

Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you – say, “Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars [among us].” (Quran, Al-Imran 3:61)

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

O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful. (Quran, Al-Hujrat 49:6)

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

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

The Prophet Mohammadﷺ led the exemplary life. We find a number of Hadith in regards to lying, and being truthful in our lives.

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ، حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا ‏”‏‏.‏

The Prophetﷺ said, “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 Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6094, Sahih-Muslim: 2607)

حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا إِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ وَإِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ، وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ ‏”‏‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ شُعْبَةُ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ‏.‏

he Prophetﷺ said, “Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up. 1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. 2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous. 4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 34)

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو رَجَاءٍ، عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدُبٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ رَأَيْتُ رَجُلَيْنِ أَتَيَانِي قَالاَ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ يُشَقُّ شِدْقُهُ فَكَذَّابٌ يَكْذِبُ بِالْكَذْبَةِ تُحْمَلُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ الآفَاقَ فَيُصْنَعُ بِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏”‏‏.

‏The Prophetﷺ said, “I saw (in a dream), two men came to me.” Then the Prophetﷺ narrated the story (saying), “They said, ‘The person, the one whose cheek you saw being torn away (from the mouth to the ear) was a liar and used to tell lies and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So he will be punished like that till the Day of Resurrection.”‘ (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6096)

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ – قَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَلاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ – وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ شَيْخٌ زَانٍ وَمَلِكٌ كَذَّابٌ وَعَائِلٌ مُسْتَكْبِرٌ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Three (are the persons) with whom Allah would neither speak, nor would He absolve them on the Day of Resurrection. Abu Mu’awiya added: He would not look at them and there is grievous torment for them: the aged adulterer, the liar king and the proud destitute. (Sahih Muslim: 107)

Islam as a complete DEEN, suggests each and every aspect of our life. Whatever was revealed to prophets earlier, was completed in Quran, and its physical implementation was done by Prophet Mohammadﷺ during his lifetime. Lying is not only a social crime, but current researches show that it has major implication on physical and mental status of an individuals. Allah^SWT in Quran states a very strict instruction against lying and warns against ominous consequences. As a true Muslim it is our duty to be truthful and teach our children the same.

Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels