Allah says in Surah Maidah, 119: “This is a day, in reference to DOJ, on which the truthful benefit from their truthfulness.”

And the Prophet said: “The believer might, naturally, have various character traits, but they are never inclined toward lying or betrayal.” 

Lying undoubtldy is not a trait of Islam, Allah in the Qur’an commands the Prophet to say, “Then let us earnestly pray and invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie.”

Now many of us know being truthful is an obligation… lying is sinful. But the scholars do take a closer look at truthfullness. They split them into three categories, speech, action and intention. 

Truthfulness in Speech

Let’s speak about Truthfulness in Speech, this is basically speaking the truth. The words that leave our mouths should have no lies. For example, saying, I am wearing a hat, or I have 2 children, these are truth statements. If I said, I’m ill so I can’t come in to work when you’re not, or I was late because of an accident when there wasn’t. These are lies. They may seem trivial, but in one hadith the Prophet said, nothing takes the believer quicker and deeper in hell than saying a trivial thing. It could be your little lie about someone cause anxiety, suspcion, families to break up. 

The Prophet said: “Every morning that comes upon the son of Adam, his limbs call out to his tongue. They say: ‘Fear Allah regarding us, for we do as you do. If you remain upright, we remain upright, and if you deviate, we deviate.” And that’s because the tongue, can engage in lying, backbiting, vain talk, cursing, abusing, gossip, speaking rudely, but in our case one of the biggest ones is lying.

A companion related, “My mother called me once, whilst the Prophet (saw) was at our home and she said, ‘Come here, I will give you something.’ Thereupon the Prophet asked, ‘What did you want to give to him?’ She replied, ‘Dates.’ The Prophet then said, ‘Had you not given him anything, it would have been recorded as a lie.’

You can see even something trivial like this is a lie. But why. It’s setting the wrong example, it’s telling the child, it’s ok to make false promises and then the cycle repeats. 

Truthfulness of action

Then we have Truthfulness in action which means to perform an action with excellence solely for the sake of Allah. For example, whilst fasting someone starts lying or they start looking at something impremissible, then this isn’t being truthful in the action. The Prophet said “Whoever does not refrain from lying and acting upon it, then Allah has no need for him to refrain from eating or drinking.” So fasting is not just stopping from eating and drinking but all these other sins.

Likewise in Salah, they have truthfullness in it, when they make ruku, they do it in the best manner and remain still and then they stand striaght and remain still and then they go down for sujood. But the one who rushes, he’s the thief of the prayer. He doesn’t give it it’s due. The Prophet said, “Verily, the worst thieves among people are those who steal from their prayers.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, how do they steal from their prayers?” The Prophet said, “They do not complete its bowing or prostration.

But we can apply this to world life, whether you are buying or selling or working for an employer. Are you short-changing someone? Are you taking short cuts in your contract?

Truthfulness of intention

Finally, Truthfulness of intention means that a person’s intention is made sincerely for Allah’s sake. If a person has a sincere intention this will be reflected in the truthfulness of their words and actions. 

Someone may, for example, praise someone worthy of praise, but in reality, he has hatred in his heart for him, and the only thing that drives him to praise him was some type of self-interest. This person’s speech was true, but his intention was corrupt and insincere.

The Prophet was asked about a man who fought in jihad to be called courageous, about a man who fought out of tribal loyalty and about a man who fought to increase his rank. Which one of these, they asked, was fighting for the sake of Allah? The Prophet informed them that it was only the one who had a sincere intention: “Whoever fights in order for the Word of Allah to be transcendent, his struggle is for the sake of Allah.”

So, we are required to be truthful in every state, and then Allah will raise such people to the ranks of Siddiqiueen. The Prophet said: “A man will continue to be truthful and strive to be so until he is recorded by Allah as being someone of immense truthfulness.”

Or it could be the case practicing what you preach 

Or when someone does all the contribution, but you claim all the success. 

May Allah grant us truthfulness and make us firm in it.

May He cleanse our tongues from lying, which causes people to be thrown head-first into the Fire, and from anything which does not please Him. 

May Allah make us speak honestly, what is correct without exaggeration or distortion. 

To act with integrity so our actions align with our words.

To keep promises, to fulfill commitments and not mislead others.

To avoid deception and stands by the truth even when difficult.

O Allah, make truth firm in our houses and our gatherings.

Wa Sallalahu ala Sayyidinah Muhammadin Wa Aalihi wal hamdu lillah rabbil alameen.