Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaams,

I immensely enjoy reading questions &answers on Islam help line.It is a great way to enlighten people with the right answers to their inquires. Do keep up your efforts!!!

I am a mother of two children residing in the US. I am trying to instill our Islamic teachings in their upbringing and do take help in finding answers through your website.

I would like you to address the topic " LIES". What the Quran and Hadith say about it? What punishment is in store for one who lies and how can one get rid of this evil and finally what reward is in store if you are successful in overcomming this problem?

I will greatly appreciate your response. Although I do tell them about it but when they will read your answer themselves I am sure it will have a greater impact on their immature minds.

Thanking you for your assistance,

A sister in Islam.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Punishment for lies

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: I would like you to address the topic " LIES". What the Quran and Hadith say about it?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 70: O ye who believe! Fear Allah and (always) say a word directed to the Right.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 119: O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 81: And say: "Truth has (now) arrived and falsehood perished: for falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish."

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiya verse 18: Nay We hurl the Truth against falsehood and it knocks out its brain, and behold falsehood doth perish! Ah! Woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe.

Your Question: What punishment is in store for one who lies?

Lies are categorized into many types and levels in Islam, and each lie has its own set of prescribed punishments.

The absolute biggest lie in this universe is to associate another deity with Allah Subhanah, ie. to believe in the abomination of ‘shirk’! This one lie is so heinous and such an abomination in the sight of the Lord, that He has Declared in His Glorious Quran that He may forgive all sins if Wills on the Day of Resurrection; but never ever will He forgive the person who dies while in the state of the falsehood of ‘shirk’!! Such is the enormity of this one ‘lie’!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verse 13: Behold Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for ‘shirk’ is indeed the Highest Wrong-Doing."

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48: Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this, for whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) listed giving false witness or lying when asked to testify as one amongst the gravest sins in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.821 Narrated by Anas

The Prophet (saws) was asked about the ‘Kabair’ (Great Sins), and he (saws) said, "They are:--

(1 ) To join others in worship with Allah,

(2) To be undutiful to one's parents,

(3) To kill a person (which Allah has forbidden to kill) (i.e. to commit the crime of murder),

(4) And to give a false witness."

Another lie where Shariah prescribes a punishment is when someone falsely accuses a chaste women of committing ‘zina’ (fornication or adultery).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verse 4: And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegation), flog them with eighty stripes: and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah Nur verses 23-25:

23 Those who slander chaste women indiscreet but believing are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter: for them is a Grievous Penalty

24 On the Day (of Judgment) when their tongues, their hands, and their feet, will bear witness against them as to their actions.

25 On that Day Allah will pay them back (all) their just dues and they will realize that Allah is the (very) Truth that makes all things manifest.

The above are just a few examples of the punishments prescribed by Allah and His Messenger (saws) for those who lie, depending on the grievousness of the falsehood uttered. Islam absolutely commands its followers to always stand on the side of the Truth, regardless of its consequences; that would be akin to piety and righteousness in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 135: O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to Allah even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest ye swerve and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice. Verily, Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

Your Question: how can one get rid of this evil and finally what reward is in store if you are successful in overcoming this problem?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 69: All who obey Allah and the Messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah: of the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous! Aah! What a beautiful fellowship!

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.116 Narrated by Abdullah

The Prophet (saws) said, "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man keeps on telling the truth until he is recorded with Allah as ‘a truthful person’. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing, etc.), and Al-Fajur leads to the (Hell) Fire! A man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, ‘a liar’."

Al-Muwatta Hadith 56.11

Malik related from Zayd ibn Aslam from Ata ibn Yasar that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Whomever Allah protects from the evil of two things will enter the Garden. They are what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, what is between his jaws and what is between his legs!!!."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.799 Narrated by Sahl bin Sad

The Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever guarantees me (the chastity of) what is between his legs (i.e. his private parts), and what is between his jaws (i.e., his tongue), I guarantee him Paradise."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1527 Narrated by Mu'adh ibn Jabal

I asked the Prophet (saws): ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), tell me of something which should cause me to be admitted to Paradise and will keep me away from the Fire.’ He (saws) answered: ‘You have asked about a matter of great importance but it is easy for one for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him. Observe Prayer, pay the Zakat, observe the Fast of Ramadan and perform the Pilgrimage if you can afford the journey. Shall I inform you of the gates of goodness? The fast is a shield. Charity puts out sins as water puts out fire and also the Prayer in the middle of the night. Then he recited: “They withdraw themselves from their beds in the latter part of the night for Prayers and they call on their Lord in fear and hope and spend out of that which We have bestowed on them. No one knows what bliss is kept hidden from them, as a reward for what they used to do (32:17-18).” Then he (saws) added: Shall I tell you of the root of the matter and of its contours and of its top?’ I said: ‘Certainly, O Messenger of Allah (saws).’ He (saws) said: ‘The root of the matter is Islam, its contours are Prayers and its top is striving in the cause of Allah (Jihad).’ Then he (saws) asked: ‘Shall I tell you of that which is at the bottom of all this?’ I said: ‘Certainly, O Messenger of Allah (saws).’ Then he (saws) took hold of his tongue and said: ‘Keep this in control.’ I said: ‘Shall we be called to account in respect of that which we say?’ He (saws) answered: ‘May your mother be bereaved of you! Will people not be thrown face down into Hell Fire only on account of what is uttered by their tongue!’

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, the only thing that can save oneself from uttering falsehoods or lies is the constant Remembrance of Allah and the perpetual thought that on One Inevitable Day each will have to stand alone in the Presence of the All-Mighty and All-Just Lord to give a full accounting of every word and every deed they did in the life gone by. If one can bring himself to become constantly conscious of this Inevitable Truth of the Accounting on the Day of Resurrection, one would strive to stay as far away from all types of falsehoods in word and in deed.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 79 Surah Naziat verses 35-41:

35 The Day when Man shall remember (all) that he strove for

36 And Hell-Fire shall be placed in full view for (all) to see

37 Then for such as had transgressed all bounds

38 And had preferred the life of this world

39 The Abode will be Hell-Fire;

40 And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord's (tribunal) and had restrained (their) soul from Lower Desires

41 Their abode will be the Garden.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan