Hadith – Truthfulness

Abdullah bin Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah. A man persists in speaking the truth till he is enrolled with Allah as a truthful. Falsehood leads to vice and vice leads to the Fire (Hell), and a person persists on telling lies until he is enrolled as a liar”.’ [Agreed upon].

 

Commentary: Imam Malik records that Abdullah ibn Masud would say, “Each time someone lies a black spot appears on his heart until his whole heart becomes black and he is written with Allah as a Kadhdhab.” He also records that it was asked of Luqman, “How have you reached this level in excellence?” He replied, “By being true in speech, fulfilling trusts and leaving what does not concern me.”

 

Such is the importance of remaining truthful that the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said that a Mumin could at any one time perform one sin or the other but he could never be a liar. Shaitan incites us to lie, saying it is only one lie. But that is how the habit develops and before a person knows it, each black dot has had its cumulative effect of blackening the whole heart. The complete blackening of the heart is the proof a person presents to Allah to have him or her written down as a kadhdhab — a confirmed liar.

 

Nouman Ali Khan – Islam and Ego: http://www.halaltube.com/nouman-ali-khan-islam-and-ego