Unpleasant Smell of Lie

Lying is one of the forms of using the tongue incorrectly. A liar not only gets disgraced among people by losing his trust, but also the Noori (created from light) creatures of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ [i.e. angels] do not come to him. It is stated in a blessed Hadees: When a person tells a lie, the angel moves a mile away due to its unpleasant smell.

(Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 3, pp. 392, Hadees 1979)

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: Human makes most of his mistakes by his tongue.

(Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 10, pp. 197, Hadees 10446)

Sayyiduna Imam ‘Abdur Rahman Ibn Jawzi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: When a believer tells a lie without any (valid) reason, a smelly thing comes out from his mouth; it reaches ‘Arsh and the angels who are holding the ‘Arsh curse him (liar) and 80 thousand angels along with them also curse him and 80 sins are recorded for him. Amongst them the least one is similar to Uhud Mountain.

(Bistaan-ul-Wa’izeen, pp. 61)

When the invitation of Islam was given to the king of Rome in the form of a blessed letter from the Beloved Rasool Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم he called Abu Sufyan to his court (who did not convert to Islam that time, but was very close to the lineage of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم). The king of Rome asked Abu Sufyan many questions in order to judge the reality of claim for Prophethood of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Although due to unbelief at that time Abu Sufyan used to bear malice and enmity towards the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم he answered all the questions truthfully to the king of Rome, which were asked about the character and manners of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He did not lie to lower the glory and status of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم merely because he did not want to be called a liar in the society due to lying.

In fact, he wanted not to be attributed to this extremely bad fault. He mentioned the reason himself why he was impelled to speak the truth and why he did not lie to lower the glory and status of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on that occasion: فَوَ اللہِ لَوْلَا الْحَیَاءُ مِنْ اَنْ یَاثِرُوا عَلَیَّ کَذِبًا لَکَذَبْتُ عَنْہُ   By Allah! If I had not felt shame for this that people would attribute me to lies I must have lied about the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 10, Hadees 7)

It is stated in Ayah 30 of Surah Al Hajj, part 17:

وَ اجۡتَنِبُوۡ ا قَوۡ لَ الزُّ وۡرِ ﴿ۙ۳۰﴾

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: And avoid false speech.

(Part 17, Surah Al-Hajj, Ayah 30)

مولٰی ہمیں قیدی نہ جہنم کا بنانا	اللہ ہمیں جھوٹ سے غیبت سے بچانا
جنت کے محلّات میں تو ہم کو بسانا	اے پیارے خداازپئےسلطانِ زمانہ

Have you noticed! We have been commanded to refrain from lies in the Holy Quran because lying is a sign of weak faith. Lie is such a disease that is rapidly spreading in our society. A liar thinks that he will not suffer any big loss by telling a lie once. The unwise people who have this mind-set suffer such a loss that sometimes even they lose their life.

It is highly condemnable to tell a lie for making Muslims fight each other, causing disturbance and hatred between them. Therefore have fear of the torment of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and protect yourself from a fatal disease like a lie. Otherwise, if a lie gets exposed, it brings not only disgrace in the world, but a person may also have to suffer painful and terrible torment in the Hereafter.

Saying of Beloved Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: Speaking the truth is a virtue and virtue leads to Jannah and lying is a sin, and sin leads to Hell.

(Sahih Muslim, pp. 1077, Hadees 6638)

Lie is a very bad disease from which not only should we abstain ourselves but we should also give such upbringing to our children that they also become aware of this grave sin from their childhood. They should know about the lie, the blessings of speaking the truth and the disadvantages of telling lies. It is usually observed that we do not give correct upbringing to our children regarding many matters, because we pay very little attention to them. Sometimes it also happens that we give them wrong upbringing regarding the matter of lie. The question arises in the mind: How? If someone knocks at the door so despite being at home the child is asked to say ‘Father is not at home’. When the child is absent from his school without any reason his teacher contacts [his parents] and they reply that our child has been ill for so many days, though he has been absent for some other reason. Similarly, there are many other examples which indicate that if we do not give correct upbringing to our children regarding these small matters, lying may become their habit.

In our society, another form of lying is that people tell lies to sell their goods and sometimes people even swear false oaths. Unfortunately, telling lies abundantly in business is considered to be an art and a sign of progress, whereas مَـعَـاذَ الـلّٰـه عَـزَّوَجَـلَّ speaking the truth is considered to be a foolish act and a hurdle in the path to progress Such people should keep it in mind properly that whatever sustenance Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has written for us [in our destiny] we will get that very same.

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, ‘A buyer and a seller have the authority before separating; if both speak the truth and make witness, blessing will be bestowed to their trade and if both conceal and lie so it is possible they may have profit, but blessing is withdrawn from their trade.’

(Sunan Abi Dawood, pp. 377, Hadees 3459)

If we carry on our trade in accordance with the business rules of Islam after becoming truthful, honest, pious, kind, good, just, selfless and well-wishing, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ there will be blessing in our business. Islamic society will achieve great prosperity and we will be able to get the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

خوف کر بھائی عذابِ نار کا	اے مِلاوٹ کرنے والے مان جا
جُھوٹ چھوڑو بیچنے میں بولنا	چھوڑ دو اے تاجرو! کم تولنا

If we fall ill, we get worried and start having treatment to get the illness cured. If the cure is not possible in our city or country, we head towards any other city or country. In short, we try our best to get rid of the disease. Lie is also a spiritual disease that brings about disgrace in the world and the destruction in the Hereafter. Avoid telling lies and always speak the truth in order to get the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

In our society, one of the forms of lying is also ‘April fool’ which is celebrated as a custom on 1st of April. On 1st April, unwise people become happy by befooling their own Islamic brothers through telling them false awful news and by different styles. April fool can also be termed as ‘The global day of telling lies’. And telling lie is a sin. Don’t ever tell lie in jokes too. There is a blessed saying of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: A bondman cannot attain perfect faith until he refrains from telling lies in jokes and gives up quarrelling even if he is right.

(Musnad Imam Ahmad, vol. 3, pp. 290, Hadees 8774)

In April fool, others’ difficulties become a source of rejoice for some people. Such people should be cautioned that they too can be trapped in this very situation. There is a saying in Arabic مَنْ ضَحِکَ ضُحِکَ . Means, the one who laughs at someone, will also be subject to teasing.

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Speak the truth although you see destruction in it because salvation lies in it.

(Makarim-ul-Akhlaq, pp. 111)

Lie is a grave sin, Haraam and an act leading to Hell. Very strong warnings have been given about lie in the Holy Quran and blessed Ahadees. Lie is a worst habit in the blessed eyes of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْـهُم. Lie was also considered indecent prior to Islam. Lie is the enemy of faith and a sign of a hypocrite. Lie makes a trader a sinner. On the other hand, one who speaks the truth is granted great blessings and countless benefits in the world and the Hereafter.

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ enable us to feel hatred towards lie and to adopt the habit of always speaking the truth!

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد