says that he doesn’t want it, then would this be considered to be a lie?’ He  صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: ‘Undoubtedly, lying is inscribed as [an act of] lie, to the extent that a small lie is inscribed as a small lie.’

(Ithaf-us-Sadat-il-Muttaqeen, vol. 9, pp. 283)

Sayyidatuna Asma Bint-e-Yazeed رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا states: Food was presented in the court of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم presented it to us. We said: ‘We do not desire [for it].’ He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: ‘Do not gather hunger and lying together.’

(Ibn Majah, vol. 4, pp. 26, Hadees 3298)

Madani upbringing of children

Dear Islamic sisters! Remember! Lying is an extremely evil practice. We are to refrain from lying ourselves as well as provide our children with such Madani upbringing that they also become familiar with this major sin from their childhood. They should know that what is lying. What are the blessings of speaking the truth? What are the harms of lying? Generally, we lack in providing correct upbringing to our children in various matters because we do not pay much attention to it. In fact, at times, we provide them wrong upbringing in regards to lying.

A question arises here in mind that how come? For example, when the teacher would contact you due to the unauthorised absences of your child from the school, then you would perhaps respond them saying that “our child is ill since so many days”, whereas the reason behind the absences would be something else. There are so many such examples where if we do not bring our children up from the aspect of these minor perspectives, then lying could be embedded into their character.

Remember! If they are brought up in a similar fashion, then it is highly likely that when they grow up, they will go astray rather than becoming civilised, because they would know that if “lying” was an evil practice by any means, then our parents would definitely protect us from it as they protected us from other harmful things. They would have protected us against it and educated us regarding it.