The Importance of Telling the Truth in Islamic Morals

In all heavenly messages, the moral issues are among the most important topics that they seek to emphasize. Allah sent the Messengers with the Messages to ensure that man lives life on the basis of righteousness and equilibrium. Religion is meant to be an organizer to man's mind so that it will not open up except on the right and truth, and to organize his heartbeat so that it will only beat with love. As for man's life and practice, it should seek only good and justice.

In this respect, there are two major issues the Messages sought to emphasize in the field of moral education, since they are linked with the most important issues in life and in people's relations with one another and in their relations with truth. These are the issues of truthfulness and trustworthiness. Imam As-Sadiq says: "Allah has not sent any prophet that was not bestowed with truthfulness and returning trusts to the good and the evildoers.” Allah wanted the prophets to educate people in this life and tell them that they ought to be truthful in what they say, and that they should not lie because lying distorts facts and may drive one from the line of safety. They should also be educated to be trustworthy and return the trusts to the people because it shows that one respects himself and does not go back on his word, or the commitment he has taken when he accepted the trust. God has considered returning the trust to be a universal commitment that is not affected by the person who has given the trust. It does not differ if he is a good person or an evil one, because when you accept the trust, you should respect your commitment if you respect yourself.

The Imams of Ahl el Beit have emphasized the significance of being truthful in Allah’s eyes. Imam Al-Sadiq says: The first to believe the truthful is Allah, who looks at the worshiper’s beliefs, positions, and speech and learns that he is truthful. Thus, Allah will be pleased with him and love him. The worshiper will also be believed by himself. If you learn that you are truthful, you would congratulate yourself and be proud of yourself.

The Imam also says: God's worshiper will keep telling the truth until Allah writes him as truthful, and lies until Allah writes him as a liar. He also says: “He whose tongue is truthful, his work will be blessed.

In the context of how to test the belief of a man, Imam Sadiq (a.s.) refuted the ideas of seeing if the believer prays or fasts. He says: Do not be deceived by their prayers and fasting. A man could be so immersed in praying and fasting that he would feel anxious if he leaves them. Those people practice these religious duties as a habit that is rather mechanical and inspirited. It even does not make them pious in their behavior in life. Thus, the Imam calls on us to test them if they are "truthful and return trusts"—if you find that they only speak the truth and keep their promises as well as their trust, they return the money you entrusted them with, and keep the secrets you asked them to keep…. In short, if they are truthful in their tongue and righteous in their trusts, then they are true believers, for it has been said in the Hadith: whoever is not forbidden by his prayers from committing evil, he will only become further away from Allah.

Imam Ali bin Al-Hussein (a.s.) says to his son: "Avoid lying, whether small or big, a serious one or a joke”—like the April fool which is prohibited just like the serious lying.

Since if a man—or a woman—dares to lie a small lie, he will dare to lie a big one. Did you not know that the Messenger (p.) has said that the worshiper “will continue to tell the truth until Allah writes him as truthful, and he will continue to lie until Allah writes him a liar?” What could be worse than such a fate? Imam Al-Baqir says: "Allah has made locks for evil and made drinking the keys to these locks." Since drinking makes one lose his mind and ultimately commits evil. But the Imam added: "But lying is more evil than drinking."

In this Glorious Book, Allah has talked about truthfulness in a way that comprises all the practical parts of belief. Those are the ones that represent truthfulness in their belief; sides of life the Quran describes the pious as those: 

"Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous." Surah Al-Baqarah (02:177) 

 And he who brings the truth and (he who) accepts it as the truth—and he wants us to follow the truthful and faithful leaders and reject the leaders who lie in their talks and commitments. This is what Allah meant when He ordered us: “O you who believe, be careful of your duty to Allah and be with the true ones.” This is the moral Islamic line that elevates the individual and preserves the community's righteousness and safety.