False Testimony is a Major Sin
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
❀ The Seriousness of False Testimony
False testimony is considered one of the gravest kabīrah (major) sins in Islam.
◈ Evidence from the Qur’an
➊ Allah Almighty commands:
وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ [al-Ḥajj: 30]
"And avoid false speech."
➋ In another verse, Allah Almighty describes the qualities of the believers:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ [al-Furqān: 72]
"And those who do not give false testimony."
◈ Evidence from the Hadith
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (رضي الله عنه) that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the major sins, he replied:
الشرك بالله ، وعقوق الوالدين وقتل النفس رشهادة الزور
"Associating partners with Allah, disobedience to parents, killing a soul unjustly, and giving false testimony."
[Bukhārī: 2653, Kitāb al-Shahādāt, Bāb Mā Qīla fī Shahādat al-Zūr; Muslim: 88; Tirmidhī: 1207; Nasāʾī: 7/88; Aḥmad: 3/13]
➍ Hazrat Abū Bakrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"Shall I not inform you about the gravest of sins?" He repeated this three times. The Companions said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said:
"Associating partners with Allah, disobedience to parents."
At that time the Prophet (ﷺ) was reclining, but then he sat upright and said:
الا وقول الزور
"Beware! And false speech (false testimony)."
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued to repeat this statement so many times that the Companions said: "We wished he would remain silent."
[Bukhārī: 2654, Kitāb al-Shahādāt, Bāb Mā Qīla fī Shahādat al-Zūr; Muslim: 87; Tirmidhī: 1901; Aḥmad: 5/36]
