Honesty and Truthfulness: Must Have Traits for Every Muslim

[Nahian Fyrose Fahim]

Honesty and truthfulness are two interrelated traits. A true Muslim must have both traits. Both the Quran and hadith has emphasized on being honest and truthful in all the matters of life. Here are a few verses of Quran about honesty and truthfulness:

• “O you who believe! Fear God, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds).” (Quran 9:119)

• “Woe unto those who give short measure, those who, when they are to receive their due from people, demand that it be given in full but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due. Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead (and called to account) on an awesome Day, the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds?” (Quran 83:1-6)

Let us now see what hadith says about this:

• “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. In addition, a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to wickedness and evil-doing, and wickedness leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before God, as a liar”. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

• “Honesty descended from the Heavens and settled in the roots of the hearts of men (faithful believers), and then the Quran was revealed and the people read the Quran, (and learnt it from it) and also learnt from the sayings and traditions. Both the Quran and the traditions strengthened their honesty. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

A true believer, one who is truly submitted to God, has many characteristics by which he can be identified.  The most obvious of these noble characteristics are honesty of character and truthfulness of speech.  Prophet Mohammad was a perfect example of honesty.  Even before his Prophethood, he had earned the titles of Al Amin (the trustworthy one) and As Sadiq (the truthful).

Al Amin, the Prophet Muhammad once gathered all the people of Mecca and asked them, “O people of Mecca!  If I say that an army is advancing on you from behind the mountains, will you believe me?”  All said in one voice, “Yes, because we have never heard you telling a lie.”  All the people, without exception, swore to his truthfulness and honesty because he had lived an unblemished and extremely pious life among them for forty years.
For those who wish to be among the truthful, Prophet Muhammad has left us with these words of guidance, “Let he who believes in God and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent”. (Saheeh Muslim)

Both the Quran and hadith have made it very clear that honesty and truthfulness are two must have traits for every Muslim.

Source :http://www.islamreligion.com
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[hassan]

Thank you for your valuable post.