Honesty - by Aalimah Rubab Anwar _ Noor Academy

 

نحمدہ و نصلی و نسلم علی رسولہ الکریم


اما معد

فاعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

قال اللہ تعالی فی القرآن المجید والفرقان الحمید

یا ایھا الذین امنوا اتقوا اللہ و قولوا قولا سدیدا۰ یصلح لکم اعمالکم و یغفرلکم ذنوبکم ومن یطع اللہ و رسولہ فقد فاز فوزا عظیما۰

صدق اللہ العظیم و صدق رسولہ النبی الکریم

ٰان اللہ و مالائکتہ یصلون علی النبی یا ایھا الذین امنوا صلوا علیہ وسلموا تسلیما

Please read the following out loud:

الصلوۃ والسلام علیک یا رسول اللہ

الصلوۃ والسلام علیک یا حبیب اللہ

الصلوۃ والسلام علیک یا نور اللہ

الصلوۃ والسلام علیک یا رحمۃ للعالمین

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala make me write only the truth and the right, and May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala make us all read, understand, implement, and spread the right and the truth. (Ameen)

Every part of this verse should have an article dedicated to it, but since writing all of it is impossible, we’ll focus on قولوا قولا سدیدا because of this month and the association of honesty with Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq Radi Allahu Anhu. The day Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq Radi Allahu Anhu passed away was 22nd Jamadius Sani; this article is a small way of showing my eternal gratitude to the companion who is known for his honesty. Rather than writing a biography, I wanted to write about what he stood for and how important honesty is. If a person truly loves Hazrat Siddiq e Akbar Radi Allahu Anhu, he will follow the example of being truthful in all situations.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala orders, “People who Believe! Fear Allah, and speak rightly. He will rectify your deeds for you and forgive you your sins; and whoever obeys Allah and His Noble Messenger, has indeed achieved a great success.” (33:71, 33:72)

Honesty can be seen in every culture, custom, religion, and group in the world. The value of honesty is taught in the initial phases of a person’s life. Honesty is important to every person, but is especially important for a Muslim. Likewise, the evils of being dishonest are also evident in every culture, custom, religion, and group in the world.

Though we learn about being honest, we also know that it’s easier said than done. We’ve experienced unfortunate turn of events on many different occasions because we were being honest. In some situations people make it easier to lie and hide the truth than to be honest and come clean.

Honesty and dishonesty are not reliant on a definition; every person knows the meaning of these two words and the actions that follow them.

The non believers of Makkah didn’t believe that the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam was a Prophet, but they did acknowledge him as an honest person and that was a quality they admired.

There was a woman that came to the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam for the interpretation of her dream. She had seen a huge tree in the middle of her home that was cut down. The Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam said that your husband, who was travelling, has passed away. She naturally started crying and was on her way home when she saw Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq who asked her the reason of her sorrows. She told him that she just received news of her husband’s passing; she didn’t mention the news had come from the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam. Siddiq e Akbar Radi Allahu Anhu said don’t worry, today before the sun sets your husband will safely arrive home. The woman, shocked at his words, stopped crying and hurried home to see whose words would be correct. She glanced between the window and the door, suddenly right before the sun set she saw her husband walking on the path towards her home. She rushed back to the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam, and questioned his statement about her husband. The Prophet explained to the woman, that when he interpreted her dream, her husband had died, but when she met Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq and when he declared her husband would arrive safely, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala gave your husband life again, so Abu Bakr Siddiq’s words would be proven true, since he is known for his honesty.

یا ایھا الذین امنوا اتقوا اللہ و کونوا مع الصادقین۰

Allah says in the Quran, Surah Tauba verse 119, “O People who Believe! Fear Allah, and be with the truthful.”

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala helps the honest stay honest, even if it means giving life to a dead person.

Comparatively, lying is the root of all sins. There was a man that came to the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam complaining about his problem with drinking, stealing, lying, committing adultery and how he couldn’t prevent himself from doing those sins. The Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam didn’t scold him, or look at him in a negative way, he didn’t try to lecture him on what he was doing wrong. Instead, the Prophet’s reply was simple, he asked the man to leave only one of the things he mentioned, which was lying. The man thought to himself that this was the easiest out of all four to leave, so he agreed. The next day when he went towards alcohol he remembered about his promise to the Prophet, he thought to himself, what if the Prophet asked him if he drank, he didn’t have the option of lying, he would have to tell the truth about him drinking. So he left the bottle and went outside. He planned to go rob a house, and while he was planning he remembered his promise to be honest, he again thought to himself what if the Prophet asked regarding him stealing, he couldn’t lie so he would have to admit to stealing, so he left his plans. Next, he went towards a woman with the intention of adultery and again remembered the promise to the Prophet; he stopped in his tracks and thought if the Prophet asks I would have to admit to my sin, he headed the other way. Finally, he went to the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam and asked for forgiveness from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. He ended up leaving every bad deed he did, because he stopped lying. The easiest thing he thought would be to leave, lying, was the root of all his misdeeds.

عن ابن مسعود رضی اللہ عنہ عن انبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم قال: ان الصدق یھدی الی البر و ان البر یھدی الی الجنۃ و ان الرجل لیصدق حتی یکتب عند اللہ صدیقا وان الکذب یھدی الی الفجور وان الفجور یھدی الی النار وان الرجل لیکذب حتی یکتب عند اللہ کذابا (صحیح بخاری باب الادب و صحیح مسلم باب البر و الصلۃ)

Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud narrated from the Prophet, The Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam said, “Indeed honesty guides towards good, and good guides towards paradise, and a person that tells the truth continuously, eventually is written near Allah as an honest person. And Indeed dishonesty guides towards immorality and immorality guides towards fire, and a person that tells lies continuously is eventually written near Allah as a dishonest person.”

Ghous e Azam Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Rahmatullahi alaihi’s mother advised to him to be honest and his firmness on that piece of advice lead to a whole group of thieves becoming Muslims.

In a Hadith the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam mentions, every morning, the entire body which includes hands, feet, and limbs, request the tongue to control itself, because the tongue will speak and the body will have to face the consequences.

In another Hadith the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam mentioned to protect what is in between jaws and in between the legs.

In another the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam holds his tongue and says, secure this.

The tongue can be the biggest problem in a person’s life. The tongue is also the tool that makes a husband and wife halal for each other.

قیل لرسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ایکون المومن جبانا قال نعم

فقیل لہ ایکون المومن بخیل قال نعم

فقیل لہ ایکون المومن کذابا قال لا لن مومن کذاب

It was asked if a Mu’min could be a coward, the Prophet replied yes. Then it was asked if a Mu’min can be avaricious, the Prophet replied yes. It was then asked if a Mu’min can be a liar, the Prophet replied, no, never can a Mu’min be a liar.

The little white lies are still counted as lies, it doesn’t matter what color they are lies are lies. It’s not allowed to lie, even to a non Muslim.

و عن ابی ھریرہ رضی اللہ عنہ ان رسول اللہ قال ایۃ المنافق ثلاث اذا حدث کذب و اذا وعد اخلف واذا اوتمن خان (صحیح مسلم)

Narrarrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radi Allahu Anhu, the Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam said, there are three signs of a hypocrite, when he talks he lies, when he promises he leaves it, an when he is entrusted he breaks it.

The way that we lie, oh InshAllah I’ll be there, I just came home, I’m at the door, I’m leaving right now, I’ll get there at that time, I’m on my way, I’m stuck in traffic, I’ll only take two minutes, my car broke down, I’m sick, I was on the phone, I got lost on my way; these are only some examples from the many that we use daily, which are counted as lies.

In every aspect of our lives, where we should have been honest, you can see dishonesty. The most obvious is in the process of getting married. The secret formula of subtracting at least five years off the girl/guys age, and to acquire the real age requires hiring a private investigator. The exaggerated version of the girls super ability to whip up entire cuisines in a matter of seconds. The boys skyrocketing credentials and his family that is overflowing with fake sweetness. It’s all a show, and it’s dishonest.

من حفظ لسینہ قلت ندامتہ

Who secures his tongue, he faces less embarrassment.

Another trend that’s very popular now is to change prices when you’re with people. When a woman wants to express that she’s a savvy shopper, the Michael Kors bag suddenly is said to be bought from an outlet store for half price; and when she wants to express her riches, that same bag is said to be bought from the store on Michigan Ave. It’s all a show, and it’s dishonest.

Imam Bahiqi Radi Allahu Anhu stated that Hazrat Imran said, to be alone is better than to be with a bad crowd and to stay quiet is better than to say something rude and dishonest.

من کتم سرہ

Those who are quiet are gratified.

We haven’t excluded any event from the festivities of lying, either it be a birthday, engagement ceremony, wedding, funeral, Milaad, or even the 10th of Muharram. As soon as the dua is done, the sea of lies sweeps away the good deeds. Protect your good deeds that you earned.

الصدق ینجی والکذب یھلک

Honesty will save you, and dishonesty will destroy you.

To protect your ears is also a responsibility equal to protecting your tongue. Distance yourself from conversations and individuals you know are going to spit lies.

Even when we’re not literally using our tongues we still find a way to lie, jk jk, lol, rofl, are all expressions which are not true. A joke is literally a lie, there’s no kidding kind of joke; no one is really laughing out loud, and most definitely not rolling on the floor laughing.

Students kissing up to their teachers and complimenting every action is also being dishonest, you don’t have to be rude, but you don’t need to express clichés in order to get an A in that class. Rumors and April fools fall under the category of dishonesty too, lying is not fun or funny.

To conceal one lie, we tell a hundred more. In the end we’re caught in a web of lies, not knowing how we got there. Until we’re the victims of someone’s lies, and then we angrily shout, “How dare you?” not realizing our own pile of lies from the past and present. We like to lie to others, but hate when it happens to us.

جرح الکلام اشد من جرح السھام

The wound caused by the tongue is deeper than the wound caused by a sword.

Kids grasp everything you do. They emulate your actions, so beware of what you do in front of them. Parents might get away with it temporarily, but the consequences are harsh in the long run. Maybe by scaring them with a monster or buddha baba and promising a reward for homework might get the job done at that time, but when their teenagers and in control they’ll use the same tricks and give you a taste of your own medicine.

Making your child say that you’re not home may avoid the lengthy conversation with that caller, but won’t avoid the penalties in the future. Don’t drive the mercy of Allah away from yourself and your home just by the wrong movement of your own tongue.

عن ابن عمر عن النبی قال اذا کذب العبد تباعد عنہ الملک میلا

Narrated by Hazrat Ibn Umar Radi Allahu Anhu, The Prophet Sallal lahu alaihi wasallam said, when a person lies angels put a miles distance between.

Something to consider, especially for parents, don’t discourage your children from being honest. Let them go for holding on to honesty in hopes of your forgiveness, even if it’s an unforgivable mistake. Appreciate them for their honesty, and they will come back to you for guidance and trust you in situations when they need help. Don’t lose hope, when winter comes you can see the leaves fall of the trees and the green disappear, especially in Chicago, but you have hope that after the cold harsh bitter winter spring will come and once again the greenery will grow, gardens will blossom, and things will get better. If you’re in a situation where you see no light at the end of the tunnel, remember spring will come, and with the will of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, gardens will fill your heart.

قال اللہ تعالی ھذا یوم تنفع الصدقین صدقھم لھم جنت تجری من تحتھا الانھر خلدین فیھا ابدا رضی اللہ عنھم و رضوا عنھ ذالک الفوز العظیم۰

The fruits of honesty will be rewarded on the Day of Judgment, it might feel difficult now, but the rewards for honesty are endless. May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala give us strength to be honest in every situation. (Ameen)

Please remember Noor Academy in your prayers.