Truth

Now and again I’ll get asked a question that I don’t want to respond to with the truth, so I’ll say something to try to end the conversation, which is usually a lie.  I’ll be sitting at work, looking up stuff like recipes or reading stories on Google, my boss will walk by and ask, “What are you doing?”  I reach for some papers near me, quickly read the title and respond by telling him that is what I am working on.  It is a horrible habit telling lies. Even if you think no one is getting hurt from it, you are hurting your own soul.

Telling the truth is a very good habit. If you always speak the truth, you can save yourself from a lot of trouble! Here is a story of a man who did a lot of bad things, but his promise to tell the truth saved him.

Once there was a man who asked a righteous member of his community, “I have many bad habits. Which one of them should I give up first?” The righteous member said, “Give up telling lies first and always speak the truth.” The man promised to do so and went home.

At night the man was about to go out to steal. Before setting out, he thought for a moment about the promise he made with the righteous member. “If tomorrow they ask me where have I been, what shall I say? Shall I say that I went out stealing? No, I cannot say that. But nor can I lie. If I tell the truth, everyone will start hating me and call me a thief. I would be punished for stealing.”

So the man decided not to steal that night, and gave up this bad habit.

The next day, he felt like drinking wine, but when he was about to do so, he said to himself, “What shall I say to the righteous member if he asks me what did I do during the day? I cannot tell a lie, and if I speak the truth people will hate me, because a Submitter is not allowed to drink wine.” And so he gave up the idea of drinking wine.

In this way, whenever the man thought of doing something bad, he remembered his promise to tell the truth at all times. One by one, he gave up all his bad habits and became a good Muslim and a very good person.

[5:119] GOD will proclaim, "This is a day when the truthful will be saved by their truthfulness." They have deserved gardens with flowing streams. They abide therein forever. GOD is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. This is the greatest triumph.

God willing, if you always speak the truth, you can be a good person and a good Muslim whom God likes and favors, which is our true goal. 

[8:8] For He has decreed that the truth shall prevail, and the falsehood shall vanish, in spite of the evildoers.

[13:17] He sends down water from the sky, causing the valleys to overflow, then the rapids produce abundant foam. Similarly, when they use fire to refine metals for their jewelry or equipment,

foam is produced. GOD thus cites analogies for the truth and falsehood. As for the foam, it goes to waste, while that which benefits the people stays close to the ground. GOD thus cites the analogies.

If I promise to tell the truth, think about my actions, knowing that I have to tell the truth about them to others, it may keep me from committing any unrighteous acts.  The truth can render us righteous, help us prevail, and benefit us by pleasing God!

[7:181] Among our creations, there are those who guide with the truth, and the truth renders them righteous.

Robert