to abstain from only one of these acts then I too will become one of your followers.’ The Nabi of Rahmah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم answered: “Refrain from lying!” The man accepted this glorious command and converted to Islam. After his departure from the Benevolent Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, he was offered wine. He thought to himself: “If I drink wine and the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم enquiries regarding this, to which I respond with a lie then I will have broken a promise, on the other hand if I tell the truth, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم will punish me (as per Shari’ah).” Hence he turned down the invitation to drink wine. Later, he got the opportunity to fornicate but the same thought occurred to him hence he refrained from that too. The same happened with theft. On his next visit to the Most Glorious Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم he confessed: “O Beloved Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم your decision was wonderful, since when I refrained from lying, all avenues of sins became sealed for me (after that he repented from all sins).” (Tafseer Kabeer, vol. 6, pp. 168)

Dear Islamic brothers!  Did you see!  When a person abandoned lying and was determined to speak only the truth he ultimately abandoned numerous other major sins. We learn that lying is the root of all sins; the worst of bad habits. Lying is contemptible whether it is expressed verbally or through any action.

The definition of lying is: “Saying something that is contrary to reality.”

(Hadiqa-tun-Nadiyyah, vol. 2, pp. 400)

For example if you are asked: “Did you attend weekly Sunnah-inspiring Ijtima’?” And you answer: “Yes” (whereas you did not attend) or: “Did you have a meal?” And you answer “Yes” (when you haven’t); since you have conveyed information that contradicts a fact. The habit of lying is so despicable that it is condemned by every religion. Our beloved religion Islam has laid tremendous emphasis on abstaining from it. In several passages the Glorious Quran condemns lying and declares the curse of Almighty Allah to befall upon liars:

Glorious Ayahs about lying

Ayah 30 of Surah Al-Hajj, part 17 commands:

وَ اجْتَنِبُوْا قَوْلَ الزُّوْرِۙ(۳۰)

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

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

Ayah 105 of Surah An-Nahl, part 14 declares:

اِنَّمَا یَفْتَرِی الْكَذِبَ الَّذِیْنَ لَا یُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰهِۚ-وَ اُولٰٓىٕكَ هُمُ الْكٰذِبُوْنَ(۱۰۵)