Why speak the truth when you can lie instead?

Sadly, it has always been the way of the world that lying stands to be a much more easily adopted habit than telling the truth. However, lying leads to nothing but destruction and ruin. The truth, on the other hand, is one of the greatest virtues a person can possess and brings about great benefits and rewards.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “I enjoin you to be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man may continue to tell the truth and endeavor to be truthful until he is recorded with Allah as a speaker of truth. And beware of lying, for lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hell. A man may continue to tell lies and endeavor to tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.” (Muslim, 2607)

Allah (SWT) loves those who choose to speak the truth above all else. An honest person is not only exalted in the eyes of Allah (SWT) but in the eyes of society as well. Honesty and truthfulness are necessary components of a good character and a good Muslim. Islam enjoins us to follow the path of righteousness which is directed by the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

“O you who believe! Be ever God-fearing! And be with those who are ever truthful." (Quran, 9:119)

Speaking the truth is a direct doorway to Paradise. In Islam, dishonesty and faith cannot go hand in hand – a believer cannot be a liar and claim to have strong faith (Imaan). Honesty is a trait that helps us incur Allah’s (SWT) pleasure and consequently, attain success and contentment in this life and the next. On the Day of Judgment, the truthful will be rewarded and saved from calamity, as stated in the Holy Quran:

"This is the Day when the truthful shall benefit from their truthfulness. For them are Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide, forever and ever, Allah being well-pleased with them, and they well-pleased with Him. This is the magnificent triumph." (Quran, 5:119)

Islam enjoins the believer to not only be truthful with society but to be truthful to yourself and your Lord. Being truthful to yourself leads to self-accountability which is detrimental for a person to realize and own up to his mistakes and fix them. Being truthful with Allah (SWT) means to worship Him with a pure and sincere heart and to constantly work towards abiding by His laws. To be truthful towards your fellow companions is to speak the truth as it is, to keep your promises, to engage in honest dealings devoid of all kinds of cheating and deceit. Honesty also translates into the sincerity of your actions and deeds. If you are true to yourself and Allah (SWT), you will find yourself behaving with sincerity and genuineness in all aspects of your life, avoiding all types of pretense and hypocrisy. Immorality, in essence, festers from the lack of truthfulness and a deviation from the path of goodness.

Narrated by Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), the Messenger of Allah (PBUH):

“Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt, for truthfulness is certainty and tranquility, whilst lying is doubt and confusion.” (Tirmidhi, 2520)

Lying is a big sin in the domain of Islam and it is an act, which is forbidden by Allah (SWT). Lying taints the heart of the believer and slowly corrupts the soul. If we allow the habit of lying to seep into our everyday lives, it can slowly and gradually corrupt everything good and meaningful. Speaking the truth brings benefits in the long-run for not only yourself but for your family and friends around you as well.

As believers, it is our job to be conscious of our words and be truthful, no matter how hard it is. Allah (SWT) loves those who choose to speak the truth when lying is a much easier option. Lying might seem easier in the short run but in the long term, speaking the truth is definitely a much easier option which gives you peace of mind. So remind yourself: choose the truth and Allah (SWT) will love you for it and reward you for it not only in this world but the Hereafter as well.