Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 19 The Seventeenth Greater Sin: Lying No falsehood should be regarded as insignificant
No falsehood should be regarded as insignificant
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No falsehood should be regarded as insignificant
It is commonly seen that when the host asks his guests to stay on for dinner or lunch, the guests say, “we are not hungry;” although in reality it is not so. Consequently it is a lie. People tend to ignore such lies and consider them insignificant. The traditions denounce them in unequivocal words, and their prohibition is clearly established in the Islamic law.
Asma Binte Umais says:
“On the first night of Ayesha’s wedding, the Holy Prophet (S) gave me a bowl of milk and told me to give it to the ladies. The women said, “we are not hungry.” When the Holy Prophet (S) heard this, He said:
“Do not bring together hunger and falsehood.”
Asma asked the Prophet (S),
“O Messenger of Allah (S), if we desire something but verbally refuse it, is it a lie?”
The Holy Prophet (S) said,
“Yes! Certainly every kind of falsehood is recorded, (in the scroll of deeds) even the smallest of the small lies is written.”
(Safinat’ul-BihÄr)
If a person, just for the sake of formality, invites others, “Please come, and visit us sometimes,” when he actually does not desire so, it is not a lie. Because the word “come” is conditional and uncertain. It is neither a truth nor a falsehood. But it is better to refrain from such a show of politeness, because to say something which you do not mean is a sign of hypocrisy.
One day, Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) was seated with his son Ismail when one of his followers arrived, saluted him and sat down. When the Imam (a.s.) stood up and walked towards the ladies portion, the man also followed till the door. Imam (a.s.) bid farewell to him from there. Later, Ismail asked his father, “Why didn’t you invite him inside just for the politeness sake?”
Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said,
“It was not proper to invite him inside. I did not wish him to come inside. Neither did I wish that Allah should include me among those who say one thing and wish another.”
(BihÄr al-AnwÄr)
