The truthful and trustworthy are two characteristics that the Prophet (ﷺ) was known for before the blessed mission. These attributes caught the attention of the Quraysh, who described him with these traits, indicating his high status due to his adherence to them (ﷺ).
Truthfulness is a beloved characteristic to the righteous human soul, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. Its status among Islamic morals is great. Ibn al-Qayyim speaks of the virtue of truthfulness, saying, “It is the highest status of the seekers, from which all other status originates. It is the most straightforward path; whoever does not walk upon it is among the cut-off and perished. By it, the hypocrites are distinguished from the believers, and the inhabitants of Paradise from the inhabitants of Hellfire. It is Allah’s sword on earth; it cuts through anything it is placed upon and brings down any falsehood it faces. Whoever wields it will not have his might overturned, and whoever speaks with it will have his word prevail over opponents. It is the spirit of deeds, the measure of states, the force driving through trials, and the door through which the successful enter the presence of the Almighty. It is the foundation of religion and the pillar of certainty, a rank just below prophethood, the highest rank of the worlds.” (1)
Tracing the virtue of truthfulness in Allah's Book, one finds that Allah has honored truthfulness by attributing it to Himself. He says, “Say, 'Allah has told the truth, so follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of the polytheists.'” (Aal-Imran: 95) And He says, “And who is more truthful than Allah in statement?” (An-Nisa: 122) He also says, “Allah - there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble you for [account on] the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. And who is more truthful than Allah in statement?” (An-Nisa: 87)
Truthfulness is also a characteristic of the prophets. All prophets convey messages from their Lord and connect the message of heaven to earth. They do not speak from [their own] desire, nor do they fabricate laws to deceive people. It is one of the greatest attributes of the messengers.
Allah has honored them with this noble characteristic and has testified to it. He said about Abraham (peace be upon him), “And mention in the Book [the story of] Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet.” (Maryam: 41) And about Ismail (peace be upon him), He said, “And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet.” (Maryam: 54) Allah also says, “And mention in the Book, Idrees. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet.” (Maryam: 56) And about Yusuf, “Joseph, O man of truth, explain to us [about] seven fat cows eaten by seven [that were] lean and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry, that I may return to the people; perhaps they will know [about you].” (Yusuf: 46)
And about Muhammad (ﷺ), He said, “Rather, the Prophet has come with the truth and confirmed the [previous] messengers.” (As-Saffat: 37) His supplication (ﷺ) was, “And say, 'My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority.'” (Al-Isra: 80)
The Prophet (ﷺ) despised lying the most, even in jest. He said, “I joke, but I do not say except what is true.” (2)
Truthfulness is also mentioned in Allah's Book as a trait of the believers. Allah says, “Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration - that Allah may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.” (Al-Ahzab: 23-24) And He says, “The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful.” (Al-Hujurat: 15)
Therefore, Allah has encouraged the virtue of truthfulness. He says, “O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true.” (At-Tawbah: 119)
The Reward of the Truthful
Allah has promised the truthful the greatest reward in this world and the Hereafter. He says, “And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.” (An-Nisa: 69) As-Sa'di says, “The steadfast affirmers of truth are those whose faith in what the messengers brought was perfected, knowing the truth and affirming it with their certainty and by practicing it; verbally, physically, spiritually, and inviting others to Allah.” (3)
Allah says about the time when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness, “Allah will say, 'This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness.' For them are gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them, and they with Him. That is the great attainment.” (Al-Ma'idah: 119) And He says, “Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” (Al-Ahzab: 35)
Abdullah bin Mas'ud narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah. A man persists in speaking the truth till he is enrolled with Allah as a truthful. Falsehood leads to vice and vice leads to the Fire (Hell), and a person persists on telling lies until he is enrolled as a liar.” (Agreed upon)
Truthfulness in Speech and Deed
Truthfulness in preaching, leadership, and teaching is a significant responsibility. It does not only affect the fate of the truthful person alone but the fate of an entire nation. Thus, a preacher must be truthful with his followers; otherwise, no word, no moral value he teaches, or any virtue he claims to uphold will have any value if he is not the first to act upon it.
The preacher must ensure he does not fall under Allah's statement, “O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.” (As-Saff: 2-3) Or fall into the category of those whom the Prophet (ﷺ) described, “A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown in the (Hell) Fire, so that his intestines will come out, and he will go around like a donkey goes around a millstone. The people of (Hell) Fire will gather around him and say: O so-and-so! What is wrong with you? Didn't you use to order us to do good deeds and forbid us to do bad deeds? He will reply: Yes, I used to order you to do good deeds, but I did not do them myself, and I used to forbid you to do bad deeds, yet I used to do them myself.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
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- Madarij al-Salikin bayna Manazil Iyyaka Na'budu wa Iyyaka Nasta'in (2/24).
- Mishkat (4885).
- Tayseer al-Rahman, p. 150.
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