True belief in Allah and the Day of
Judgment implies that the person is
truthful in his speech If he truly
believes that Allah Hears and Sees
everything he does and a Day will
come when he will be accounted for his actions, then he will not lie. The
Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said: “Let he who truly
believes in Allah and the Last Day
speak good or be silent.” [Saheeh al-
Bukhari] «ﻭ ﻪﻠﻟﺎﺑ ﻦﻣﺆﻳ ﻥﺎﻛ ﻦﻣ ﺍﺮﻴﺧ ﻞﻘﻴﻠﻓ ﺮﺧﻵﺍ ﻡﻮﻴﻟﺍ
ﻱﺭﺎﺨﺒﻟﺍ ﻩﺍﻭﺭ «ﺖﻤﺼﻴﻟ ﻭﺃ It is from the tricks of Shaytaan that
he first makes sins look insignificant
and minor in the eyes of the
believers, and then gradually
deceives them to commit those sins.
Lying is one of them, and people do not show much concern about its
prohibition, however, lying is a
characteristic of hypocrisy, Abdullah
Ibn Amr Ibn Amr al-Aas (radhi allahu
anhu) narrated that the Prophet
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Whoever has the following four
characteristics will be a pure
hypocrite; and whoever has one of
these four characteristics will have
one characteristic of hypocrisy
unless and until he gives it up; whenever he is entrusted he
betrays, whenever he speaks he
tells a lie, whenever he makes a
covenant he proves treacherous,
and whenever he quarrels he
behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.” [Saheeh al-
Bukhari] «ﻥﺎﻛ ﻪﻴﻓ ﻦﻛ ﻦﻣ ﻝﻼﺧ ﻊﺑﺭﺃ ﺙﺪﺣ ﺍﺫﺇ ﻦﻣ :ﺎﺼﻟﺎﺧ ﺎﻘﻓﺎﻨﻣ
، ﻒﻠﺧﺃ ﺪﻋﻭ ﺍﺫﺇﻭ ، ﺏﺬﻛ
ﺍﺫﺇﻭ ، ﺭﺪﻏ ﺪﻫﺎﻋ ﺍﺫﺇﻭ
ﻪﻴﻓ ﺖﻧﺎﻛ ﻦﻣﻭ . ﺮﺠﻓ ﻢﺻﺎﺧ
ﺔﻠﺼﺧ ﻪﻴﻓ ﺖﻧﺎﻛ ﻦﻬﻨﻣ ﺔﻠﺼﺧ
«ﺎﻬﻋﺪﻳ ﻰﺘﺣ ﻕﺎﻔﻨﻟﺍ ﻦﻣ ﻱﺭﺎﺨﺒﻟﺍ ﻩﺍﻭﺭ Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) warned us against lying
by describing the severe
punishments of Allah for the liars. He
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) related a
dream in which he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saw people being
punished; among them were two
persons, whose cheeks were torn
away from the mouth to the ear. He
said: “I saw (in a dream), two men
came to me. They said, ‘The person, the one whose cheek you saw being
torn away (from the mouth to the
ear) was a liar and used to tell lies
and the people would report those
lies on his authority till they spread
all over the world. So he will be punished like that till the Day of
Resurrection.’” [Saheeh al-Bukhari
(vol. 8, no: 118)] «، ﻲﻧﺎﻴﺗﺃ ﻦﻴﻠﺟﺭ ﺖﻳﺃﺭ ﻪﻗﺪﺷ ﻖﺸﻳ ﻪﺘﻳﺃﺭ ﻱﺬﻟﺍ : ﻻﺎﻗ
ﺔﺑﺬﻜﻟﺎﺑ ﺏﺬﻜﻳ ، ﺏﺍﺬﻜﻓ
ﻎﻠﺒﺗ ﻰﺘﺣ ﻪﻨﻋ ﻞﻤﺤﺗ
ﻡﻮﻳ ﻰﻟﺇ ﻪﺑ ﻊﻨﺼﻴﻓ ، ﻕﺎﻓﻵﺍ
ﻱﺭﺎﺨﺒﻟﺍ ﻩﺍﻭﺭ «ﺔﻣﺎﻴﻘﻟﺍ The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-
sallam) explained that lying could
cause one to end up in the Hell Fire,
he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said:
“Avoid falsehood, for falsehood
leads to wickedness and wickedness to Hell; and if a man continues to
speak falsehood and makes
falsehood his object, he will be
recorded in Allah’s presence as a
great liar. And adhere to the truth,
for truth leads to good deeds, and good deeds lead to Paradise. If a
man continues to speak the truth
and makes truth his object, he will be
recorded in Allah’s presence as
eminently truthful.” [Abu Dawood
(Sunan Abu Dawood vol. 3, no. 4971), authenticated by Al-Albani] «ﻥﺈﻓ ؛ ﺏﺬﻜﻟﺍﻭ ﻢﻛﺎﻳﺇ ، ﺭﻮﺠﻔﻟﺍ ﻰﻟﺇ ﻱﺪﻬﻳ ﺏﺬﻜﻟﺍ
ﻰﻟﺇ ﻱﺪﻬﻳ ﺭﻮﺠﻔﻟﺍ ﻥﺇﻭ
ﺏﺬﻜﻴﻟ ﻞﺟﺮﻟﺍ ﻥﺇﻭ ، ﺭﺎﻨﻟﺍ
ﺐﺘﻜﻳ ﻰﺘﺣ ﺏﺬﻜﻟﺍ ﻯﺮﺤﺘﻳﻭ
ﻢﻜﻴﻠﻋﻭ ؛ ﺎﺑﺍﺬﻛ ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﺪﻨﻋ
ﻱﺪﻬﻳ ﻕﺪﺼﻟﺍ ﻥﺈﻓ ، ﻕﺪﺼﻟﺎﺑ ﻱﺪﻬﻳ ﺮﺒﻟﺍ ﻥﺇﻭ ، ﺮﺒﻟﺍ ﻰﻟﺇ
ﻞﺟﺮﻟﺍ ﻥﺇﻭ ، ﺔﻨﺠﻟﺍ ﻰﻟﺇ
ﻰﺘﺣ ﻕﺪﺼﻟﺍ ﻯﺮﺤﺘﻳﻭ ﻕﺪﺼﻴﻟ
«ﺎﻘﻳﺪﺻ ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﺪﻨﻋ ﺐﺘﻜﻳ
ﻪﺤﺤﺻ ،ﺩﻭﺍﺩ ﻮﺑﺃ ﻩﺍﻭﺭ
ﻲﻧﺎﺒﻟﻷﺍ Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) has strictly forbade lying
at all times, but he (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) specifically cursed the
person who lies to make people
laugh, he (sallallahu alaihi wa- sallam) said: “Woe be on one who
speaks and lies in order to make
people laugh, woe be on him.” [Abu
Dawood vol: 3, no. 4972,
authenticated by Al-Albani] «ﺏﺬﻜﻴﻓ ﺙﺪﺤﻳ ﻱﺬﻠﻟ ﻞﻳﻭ ، ﻪﻟ ﻞﻳﻭ ، ﻡﻮﻘﻟﺍ ﻪﺑ ﻚﺤﻀﻴﻟ
،ﺩﻭﺍﺩ ﻲﺑﺃ ﻩﺍﻭﺭ «ﻪﻟ ﻞﻳﻭ
ﻲﻧﺎﺒﻟﻷﺍ ﻪﺤﺤﺻ This Hadeeth shows the gravity of
lying in jokes, which has today
become a very common behavior.
People appreciate and encourage
false jokes claiming that it brings joy
and amusement – But in the above Hadeeth, the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) forbade lying even
if the intention of the person is to
amuse people, because one who
habitually lies for sake of
amusement, loses the fear of lying and he is very likely to later fall into
harmful lies. So, the Prophet
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) blocked
this path from the beginning because
of the bad it may lead to. Islam does not prohibit joking. It is
known through many narrations that
Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) approved joking, and he
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) would
himself play and joke with his companions and small children.
Simak ibn Harb asked Jabir ibn
Samurah (radhi allahu anhu), “Did
you sit in the company of the
Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam)?” He said: ‘Yes, very often. He (the Prophet) used to sit at
the place where he observed the
morning or dawn prayer till the sun
rose or when it had risen; he would
stand, and they (his Companions)
would talk about matters (pertaining to the days) of ignorance, and they
would laugh (on these matters) while
(the Prophet) only smiled.’ [Saheeh
Muslim (1413)] «ﺖﻨﻛﺃ :ﺓﺮﻤﺳ ﻦﺑ ﺮﺑﺎﺠﻟ ﺖﻠﻗ ﻰﻠﺻ ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﻝﻮﺳﺭ ﺲﻟﺎﺠﺗ
:ﻝﺎﻗ ؟ﻢﻠﺳﻭ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﻪﻠﻟﺍ
ﻦﻣ ﻡﻮﻘﻳ ﻻ ﻥﺎﻛ . ﺍﺮﻴﺜﻛ . ﻢﻌﻧ
ﻪﻴﻓ ﻲﻠﺼﻳ ﻱﺬﻟﺍ ﻩﻼﺼﻣ
. ﺲﻤﺸﻟﺍ ﻊﻠﻄﺗ ﻰﺘﺣ ﺢﺒﺼﻟﺍ
ﺍﻮﻧﺎﻛﻭ . ﻡﺎﻗ ﺖﻌﻠﻃ ﺍﺫﺈﻓ ﺮﻣﺃ ﻲﻓ ﻥﻭﺬﺧﺄﻴﻓ ﻥﻮﺛﺪﺤﺘﻳ
. ﻥﻮﻜﺤﻀﻴﻓ . ﺔﻴﻠﻫﺎﺠﻟﺍ
ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﻰﻠﺻ ﻢﺴﺒﺘﻳﻭ
ﻢﻠﺴﻣ ﻩﺍﻭﺭ «ﻢﻠﺳﻭ So, joking is permitted in Islam but
with some necessary guidelines, (a) Joking should not involve lying,
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu)
said that the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) was told, “O
Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam),
you are joking with us.” He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: ”I
only say what is true.” [Tirmidhi,
Hasan Sahih (Good Authentic)] «ﻚﻧﺇ ! ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﻝﻮﺳﺭ ﺎﻳ ﻻ ﻲﻧﺇ ﻝﺎﻗ ! ؟ ﺎﻨﺒﻋﺍﺪﺗ
ﻩﺍﻭﺭ «ﺎﻘﺣ ﻻﺇ ﻝﻮﻗﺃ
ﺢﻴﺤﺻ ﻦﺴﺣ ،ﻱﺬﻣﺮﺘﻟﺍ Also, listening to jokes that involve
lies is forbidden, because silence in
Islam indicates consent. Allah’s
Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-
sallam) has ordered us to stop evil
or at least speak out against it, if it occurs in one’s presence. If one
cannot gather the courage to speak
against the one who lies, then he
should leave such people who
engage in lies to pass their time. (b) Joking should not involve bad
language or abusing people. Allah
says in the Qur’aan: {O you who
believe! Let not a group scoff at
another group, it may be that the
latter are better than the former;} [Al- Hujurat 49:11] {ﺎَﻟ ﺍﻮُﻨَﻣﺁ َﻦﻳِﺬَّﻟﺍ ﺎَﻬُّﻳَﺃ ﺎَﻳ ﻥَﺃ ٰﻰَﺴَﻋ ٍﻡْﻮَﻗ ﻦِّﻣ ٌﻡْﻮَﻗ ْﺮَﺨْﺴَﻳ
{ْﻢُﻬْﻨِّﻣ ﺍًﺮْﻴَﺧ ﺍﻮُﻧﻮُﻜَﻳ
11 :ﺕﺍﺮﺠﺤﻟﺍ Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheenaamanoo
la yaskhar qawmun min qawmin
AAasa an yakoonoo khayran
minhum Always Remember Before you
speak! Everything we say is being recorded
in our actions and that one wrong
word can take us to Hell Fire. Allah
says: {Not a word does he (or she)
utter, but there is a watcher by him
ready (to record it).} [Qaf 50:18] {ِﻪْﻳَﺪَﻟ ﺎَّﻟِﺇ ٍﻝْﻮَﻗ ﻦِﻣ ُﻆِﻔْﻠَﻳ ﺎَّﻣ 18 :ﻕ {ٌﺪﻴِﺘَﻋ ٌﺐﻴِﻗَﺭ Transliteration: Ma yalfithu min qawlin illa ladayhi raqeebun
AAateedun The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Sometimes, a
person says a thing which pleases
Allah, and in return Allah raises his
status (rewards him), and sometimes
a person says something which displeases Allah, and it takes him to
Hell.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari] «ﻢﻠﻜﺘﻴﻟ ﺪﺒﻌﻟﺍ ﻥﺇ ، ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﻥﺍﻮﺿﺭ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻤﻠﻜﻟﺎﺑ
ﻊﻓﺮﻳ ، ﻻﺎﺑ ﺎﻬﻟ ﻲﻘﻠﻳ ﻻ
ﻥﺇﻭ ، ﺕﺎﺟﺭﺩ ﺎﻬﺑ ﻪﻠﻟﺍ
ﻦﻣ ﺔﻤﻠﻜﻟﺎﺑ ﻢﻠﻜﺘﻴﻟ ﺪﺒﻌﻟﺍ
ﺎﻬﻟ ﻲﻘﻠﻳ ﻻ ، ﻪﻠﻟﺍ ﻂﺨﺳ
«ﻢﻨﻬﺟ ﻲﻓ ﺎﻬﺑ ﻱﻮﻬﻳ ، ﻻﺎﺑ ﻱﺭﺎﺨﺒﻟﺍ ﺢﻴﺤﺻ As-Sunnah Islamic Newsletter
Written by: Shawana A Aziz