Truthfulness in the Glorious Qur'an (2)

3- Truthfulness is one of the characteristics of the believing Servants of Allah: Allah (may He be Exalted) described His Believing Servants by many qualities and good characteristics, of the greatest is the quality of truthfulness. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allâh [i.e. they have gone out for Jihâd (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers]; of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred); and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allâh] in the least. * That Allâh may reward the men of truth for their truth (i.e. for their patience at the accomplishment of that which they covenanted with Allâh), and punish the hypocrites, if He wills, or accept their repentance by turning to them (in Mercy). Verily, Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surat Al Ahzab: 23 - 24].

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be to Him) says: "Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allâh. Those! They are the truthful."

[Surat Al Hujurat: 15].

4- The Glorious Qur'an considers truthfulness inclusive to all qualities of goodness:

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "It is not Al Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards the east and (or) the west (in prayers); but Al Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al Masâkîn (the needy), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, and performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfil their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al Muttaqûn (the pious)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 177].

Sheikh `Abdur-Rahman As-Sa`dy said: "And those" who are characterized by good qualities, actions, and good manners are the people of the truth because their faith was true. [Taysir Ar-Rahman: 66]. After Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) mentioned the previous Ayah in support for the degree of truthfulness in his book "Madarij As-Salikin", he said: This is true because truthfulness is the core of Islam and faith. [Madarij As-Salikin: 25/2]

5- Allah (Glory be to Him) commanded with truthfulness and exhorted people to it: There are many Ayahs urging Muslims to acquire truthfulness, of which are the following: Allah's Saying: "O you who believe! Be afraid of Allâh, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds)." [Surat At-Tawbah: 119].

Imam Al Alusy (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: The Ayah implies the praise of truthfulness. [Rawh Al M`any: 43/4]. Sheikh Muhammad Rashid Rida (may Allah be merciful with him) said: The truthful are those who are truthful and loyal in their Jihad, their covenants, sayings, and promises if they speak and promise, and in their repentance if they commit a sin or negligence. There are many Hadiths about the virtue of truthfulness and the vice of lying because it is one of the characteristics of hypocrites. It was reported in many narrations: "A believer may be born with every quality except lying and treason." There is no concession for lying but for a necessity such as war, reformation between two persons, or a man who speaks to his wife to please her. [Tafsir Al Manar: 58/11]. The Hadith about concession is the Hadith of Asma' Bint Yazid (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "It is not permissible to tell lies except in three (cases): When a man speaks to his wife in a way to please her; lying in war; and lying in order to reconcile between people." Reported by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhy, and the Hadith was graded as authentic by Sheikh Al Albany but this narration is limited by the following Hadith as Muhammad Rashid Rida said: "Words of double entendres are better than telling lies." [Reported by Al Bukhari in the book of manners].

Of the Ayahs that exhort people to acquire truthfulness is Allah's Saying: "Obedience (to Allâh) and good words (were better for them). And when the matter (preparation for Jihâd) is resolved on, then if they had been true to Allâh, it would have been better for them." [Surat Muhammad: 21].

6- The Qur'an divides people into truthful and hypocrites:

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "That Allâh may reward the men of truth for their truth (i.e. for their patience at the accomplishment of that which they covenanted with Allâh), and punish the hypocrites, if He wills, or accept their repentance by turning to them (in Mercy)." [Surat Al Ahzab: 24].

So, the Ayah indicated that people are of two types: Truthful and hypocrites because Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah be merciful with him) said: Faith is based on truthfulness and hypocrisy is based on lying, so when lying and faith gather, they must fight one another. [Madarij As-Salikin: 25/2].

7- The great reward of the truthful: Allah promised the truthful of the best reward because of that attribute which they acquired, but rather Allah made the stage of the truthful follow the stage of Prophets and made them blessed because they are the obedient to their Lord. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And whoso obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allâh has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqûn (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddîq may Allah be pleased with him), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!" [Surat An-Nisa': 69]. And As-Siddiqun as Sheikh `Abdur-Rahman As-Sa`dy said: They are those who are have believed the Messengers, known the truth, and believed it by their certainty whether in their saying, actions, conditions, and calling to Allah. "Indeed those have the best companionship" when they gather with them in the gardens of bliss while humans are under the shade of Allah's Protection. [Taysir Ar-Rahman: 150]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says at the end of Surat Al Ma'idah: "Allâh will say: This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise) - they shall abide therein forever. Allâh is pleased with them and they with Him. That is the great success (Paradise)." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 119]. Allah (Glory be to Him) stressed in this Ayah that nothing shall benefit on the Day of Recompense but truthfulness because on that Day children will grow up, pregnant women shall deliver their babies, and you shall see people intoxicated without alcohol but due to the punishment of Allah which will be severe. On that terrible Day, nothing will benefit but truthfulness: Truthfulness in faith, sayings, actions, and conditions. Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in Madarij As-Salikin: Truthfulness should be in three matters:

* Truthfulness in sayings by telling the truth.

* Truthfulness in actions by doing what is right.

* Truthfulness in conditions by acquiring loyalty and exerting efforts. By the perfection of these matters, a person shall be truthful or not. Therefore, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was called As-Siddiq because he acquired all these three and has become better than the truthful. [Madarij As-Salikin: 25/2]. Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And he (Muhammad peace be upon him) who has brought the truth (this Qur'ân and Islâmic Monotheism) and (those who) believed therein (i.e. the true believers of Islâmic Monotheism), those are Al Muttaqûn (the pious). * They shall have all that they will desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the Muhsinûn (good-doers)." [Surat Az-Zumar: 33 - 34].

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: "Say: Shall I inform you of things far better than those? For Al-Muttaqûn (the pious) there are Gardens (Paradise) with their Lord, underneath which rivers flow. Therein (is their) eternal (home) and Azwâjun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives). And Allâh will be pleased with them. And Allâh is All-Seer of the (His) slaves. *Those who say: Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire. *(They are) those who are patient, those who are true (in Faith, words, and deeds), and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allâh. Those who spend [give the Zakât and alms in the Way of Allâh] and those who pray and beg Allâh's Pardon in the last hours of the night." [Surat Al `Imran: 15 - 17].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allâh in Islâm) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islâmic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allâh), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allâh has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allâh has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord - Allâh), the men and the women who give Sadaqât (i.e. Zakât, and alms), the men and the women who observe Saum (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadân, and the optional Nawâfil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allâh much with their hearts and tongues - Allâh has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise)." [Surat Al Ahzab: 35]. So, do not ask about the greatness of the reward which Allah prepared for those truthful people; we ask Allah to make us among them.

It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. On the other hand, 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 at Allah as a liar." [Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim]

References:

• Al Jam` Li Ahkam Al Qr'an.

• Tafsir Ibn Jarir At-Tabary which is called: Jami` Al Bayan Fi Ta'wil 'Ay Al Qur'an.

• Taysir Al Karim Ar-Rahman Fi Tafsir Kalam Al Mannan.

• Tafsir Al Sheikh Muhammad Rashid Rida which is called: Tafsir Al Manar.

• Tafsir Al Alusy which is called: Rawhul-Ma`any Fi Tafsir Al Qur'an Al `Azhim Was-Sab` Al Mathany.

• Ash-Shifa Bita`rif Huquq Al Mustafa.

• Madarij As-Salikin bayna Manazil Iyyaka Na`bud Wa Iyyaka Nasta`in.