Lying Is Severely Disliked in Islam
In Islam, lying is a severely disliked act, and one of the great signs of the Hour is the spread of lying. The Quran and the Sunnah contain clear evidence on this subject that highlights the condemnation of lying and the importance of truthfulness.
Condemnation of Lying in the Quran
The Quran has strictly forbidden lying and has declared it a sign of deficiency in faith.
1. Lying and Deprivation of Faith
“إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِي الْكَذِبَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ”
Translation: “Only those who do not believe in the signs of Allah fabricate lies, and it is they who are the liars.”
2. Prohibition of Mixing Truth with Falsehood
“وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ”
Translation: “And do not mix the truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know it.”
These verses strongly condemn the gravity of lying and the concealment of truth.
Condemnation of Lying in the Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ counted lying among the major sins and warned about its serious consequences.
1. Truthfulness Leads to Paradise and Lying Leads to Hell
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا”
Translation: “Indeed, truthfulness guides to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man continues to speak the truth until he is recorded with Allah as a siddiq (a person of great truthfulness). And lying leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the Fire. A man continues to lie until he is recorded with Allah as a kadhdhab (one who lies excessively).”
2. Lying Is a Sign of the Hypocrite
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ”
Translation: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays it.”
A Sign of the Approaching Hour: The Spread of Lying
One of the signs of the Hour is that lying will become widespread, and people will lie without fear.
1. The Spread of Lying and False Testimony
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يُظْهَرَ الزُّورُ وَيُفْشَى الْكَذِبُ”
Translation: “Indeed, among the signs of the Hour is that lying will become widespread and false testimonies will be given.”
2. The Coming of a Deceptive Era
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“سَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ سَنَوَاتٌ خَدَّاعَاتٌ يُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا الْكَاذِبُ وَيُكَذَّبُ فِيهَا الصَّادِقُ وَيُؤْتَمَنُ فِيهَا الْخَائِنُ وَيُخَوَّنُ فِيهَا الْأَمِينُ وَيَنْطِقُ فِيهَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ”
Translation: “There will come upon people years of deception, in which the liar will be believed and the truthful will be disbelieved, the traitor will be trusted and the trustworthy will be deemed a traitor, and the Ruwaybidah (lowly, contemptible people) will speak.”
The Social Harm of Lying
Lying causes social corruption:
◄ Lack of trust: people do not rely on one another.
◄ Lack of justice: lying destroys justice.
◄ Increase in disputes: lying increases social division.
Islam has declared lying a means of destruction and truthfulness the path to salvation.
Conclusion
From the evidence of the Quran and the Sunnah, it becomes clear that lying is a major sin and that the spread of lying is among the great signs of the Hour. We need to avoid lying, adopt truthfulness, and establish a society based on Islamic principles.
