Truthfulness in the Glorious Qur'an (1)

One of the most important qualities of the Glorious Qur'an is comprehensiveness because it is a comprehensive book that contains everything people need in their current life and in the next, as it includes the goodness of the world and the Hereafter. Many Ayahs denoted this comprehensiveness such as Allah saying: "We have neglected nothing in the Book, then to their Lord they (all) shall be gathered." [Surat Al An`am: 38].

Imam Al Qurtuby said: The meaning is: We have not left anything of religion but we denoted in the Qur'an either explicit or implicit, explained by the Prophet (peace be upon him), and confirmed by consensus or by analogy." [Al Jami` Li Ahkam Al Qur'an].

And the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allâh as Muslims)." [Surat An-Nahl: 89].

Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allah explained to us the knowledge of everything in the Qur'an. Mujahid said: Explained every lawful and forbidden. Ibn Kathir (may Allah be merciful his soul) said: The saying of Ibn Mas`ud is more inclusive because the Qur'an implies every useful knowledge from the news of the previous nations, the knowledge of what will come in the future, the rulings of lawful and prohibitions that which they need in their world and in the Hereafter. How would not the Qur'an be inclusive while Allah (Glory be to Him) sent it down as a way of life, for it is the system which Allah set for His Creation? So, it must contain all worldly and Hereafter matters because by the Qur'an Allah completed the religion and perfected the blessings as Allah said: "This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 3].

One of the instructions of the Qur'an is its ethical side by which the renaissance of individuals and nations are achieved because countries do not advance but through their ethics.

How come the Glorious Qur'an does not include the ethical side in its pages? Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book (the Qur'ân) in which there is Dhikrukum, (your Reminder or an honor for you i.e. honour for the one who follows the teaching of the Qur'ân and acts on its teachings)." [Surat Al Anbiya': 10] i.e., your honor, glory, and respect as the commentators of the Qur'an said, and one cannot imagine glory and honor without manners.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Verily, this Qur'ân guides to that which is most just and right." [Surat Al Isra': 9] i.e., more just and higher in creeds, actions, and morals. [Taysir Ar-Rahman: 406].

It was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: I was sent to perfect morals. In a narration: "Good manners," which is authentically reported in books of authentic Hadiths No. 45. [Reported by Imam Al Bukhari in his book "Al Adab Al Mufrad", Al Hakim, and Ahmad].

Of the greatest manners, which the Qur'an discussed, is the issue of truthfulness. This great manner is one of the qualities upon which many manners stand and few people only have such manner.

Imam Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy upon his soul) said in Madarij As-Salikin on the topic of truthfulness: It is the highest degree of manners from which all the degrees of the rescued people emerge and the straight path which the perished people avoid and by which hypocrites are distinguished. Truthfulness is the sword of Allah in His Land which if it is laid on anything, it will cut it and which defeats every falsehood confronts it. So, it is the spirit of actions and the criterion of conditions, and the motive to the intrusion of horrors, and the gate from which the survivors enter. It is the basis of religion, the pole of the tent of certainty, and a degree following the degree of Prophethood which is more sublime than the degree of scholars. [Madarij As-Salikin bayna Manazil Iyyaka Na`budu wa Iyyaka Nasta`in: 2/24, Maktabat Dar As-Safa].

The Glorious Qur'an spoke about the issue of truthfulness by multiple styles and treated it from different aspects because of its importance.

By following the Ayahs of the Glorious Qur'an regarding this issue, we can extract a group of issues such as:

1- Truthfulness is one of the qualities of Allah (Glory be to Him):

Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): Allâh has spoken the truth; follow the religion of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) Hanîf (Islâmic Monotheism, i.e. he used to worship Allâh Alone), and he was not of Al-Mushrikûn." [Surat Al `Imran: 95].

He (Exalted be He) says:"And whose words can be truer than those of Allâh? (Of course, none)." [Surat An-Nisa': 122].

He (Glory be to Him) says: "Allâh! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. And who is truer in statement than Allâh?" [Surat An-Nisa': 87].

The Imam of Tafsir, Ibn Jarir At-Tabary, said in his Tafsir: "And who is truer in statement than Allâh?" i.e., who is more truthful than Allah? A liar speaks falsely to bring about benefit or ward off harm, but Allah (Glory be to Him) is the creator of harm and benefit, so it is impermissible for Him to tell lies. [Tafsir Ibn Jarir which is called: Jami` Al Bayan fi Ta'wil Ay Al Qur'an: 226-227/5].

Of the Ayahs that indicate truthfulness are:

Allah's Saying: "And verily, We are Truthful." [Surat Al An`am: 146].

And Allah's Saying: "And Allâh did indeed fulfil His Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission." [Surat Al `Imran: 152].

And Allah's Saying: "And when the believers saw Al-Ahzâb (the Confederates), they said: "This is what Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) had promised us; and Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) had spoken the truth. And it only added to their Faith and to their submissiveness (to Allâh)." [Surat Al Ahzab: 22].

Allah (Glory be to Him) said about the dwellers of Paradise: "And they will say: All praise and thanks are Allâh's Who has fulfilled His Promise to us and has made us inherit (this) land. We can dwell in Paradise where we will; how excellent a reward for the (pious, good) workers!" [Surat Az-Zumar: 74].

2- Turthfulness is one of the attributes of the Messengers (peace be upon him):

One of the greatest qualities of Messengers is truthfulness, and how come they would not be truthful while they are the conveyers of His Revelation to His People? So, truthfulness must be inherent to their actions and sayings. This has been confirmed in many positions in the Qur'an such as Allah's Saying: "And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân) Ibrâhîm (Abraham). Verily, he was a man of truth, a Prophet." [Surat Maryam: 41].

He (may He be Exalted) says:"And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân) Ismâ'îl (Ishmael). Verily, he was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet." [Surat Maryam: 54].

He (Glory be to Him) says:"And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân) Idrîs (Enoch).Verily, he was a man of truth, (and) a Prophet. *And We raised him to a high station." [Surat Maryam: 56 - 57].

He (Glory be to Him) says: "(He said): O Yûsuf (Joseph), the man of truth! Explain to us (the dream) of seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and of seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know." [Surat Yusuf: 46].

Thereafter, He described him with truthfulness when He said: "(The King) said (to the women): What was your affair when you did seek to seduce Yûsuf (Joseph)? The women said: Allâh forbid! No evil know we against him! The wife of Al-'Azîz said: Now the truth is manifest (to all); it was I who sought to seduce him, and he is surely of the truthful." [Surat Yusuf: 51].

He (may He be Exalted) said about His Honorable Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Nay! he (Muhammad peace be upon him) has come with the truth (i.e. Allâh's Religion - Islâmic Monotheism and this Qur'ân) and he confirms the Messengers (before him who brought Allâh's religion - Islâmic Monotheism)." [Surat As-Safat: 37] i.e., confirmed the previous Messengers. [Reported by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abu Hatim, and others from Qatadah (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul)]. So, sending Prophet Muhammad was a confirmation to the truthfulness of all Messengers.

For the greatness of truthfulness, Allah (Glory be to Him) commanded the seal of Prophets and the best Messenger to invoke Allah with this invocation: "And say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): My Lord! Let my entry (to the city of Al-Madinah) be good, and (likewise) my exit (from the city of Makkah) be good. And grant me from You an authority to help me (or a firm sign or a proof)." [Surat Al Isra': 80].

The Prophet (peace be upon him) reached the top in truthfulness according to the testimony of the one who knows the secret and hid it. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. * It is only a Revelation revealed." [Surat An-Najm: 3 - 4], so Allah praised him in his words and in everything. He says: "And Verily, you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) are on an exalted (standard of) character." [Surat Al Qalam: 4].

Al Qady `Iyad (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in Ash-Shifa: As for the Prophet's sayings, clear signs indicated the validity of his truthfulness and the entire nation held consensus that he was infallible. [Ash-Shifa bi Ta`rif Huquq Al Mustafa: 356].

Of the Hadiths that indicate his truthfulness and his hatred to lying is the Hadith of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: "The most hated thing to him was lying." [Reported by Imam Ahmad and Al Bayhaqy, and Al Albany graded it as authentic in Sahih Al Jami`]. `A'ishah also narrated: "If he (saw) knew that a member of his household had told a lie, he would avoid them until they announced their repentance." [Reported by Ahmad and Al Hakim, and Al Albany graded it as authentic in Sahih Al Jami`]. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Verily, I joke and I do not say except what is true." [Al Mishkah: 4885]. `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "I used to write everything which I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with the intention of memorizing it. However, the Quraysh prohibited me saying: Do you write everything that you hear from him while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is a human being: He speaks in anger and pleasure? So, I stopped writing, and mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He signaled with his finger to his mouth and said: Write, by Him in Whose Hand my soul lies, only right comes out from it." [Reported by Abu Dawud, Imam Ahmad, and others, and the Hadith is recorded in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah: Hadith No. 1532].

The purpose of mentioning that the Messengers of Allah were characterized by truthfulness is to follow their example because they are our role model, especially the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Indeed, in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad peace be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day, and remembers Allâh much." [Surat Al Ahzab: 21].