All worldly affairs, including judgements and verdicts, depend on truthful speech. Both the accused and the plaintiff swear before the judge that they will speak the truth and nothing but the truth. Truthfulness holds life's greatest happiness and peace, and carries great standing and benefit. The Quran and Sunnah lay special stress on these.

The truthful are those who fear Allah; fearing Allah and walking the right path are among their chief qualities. That is why Allah, addressing the believers in the Quran, tells them to fear Him and to keep company with the truthful. Several verses set out the benefits and dignity of truthfulness:

• "O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the truthful." (Surah Tawbah, verse 119)
• "Truthful men and truthful women": for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. (Surah Ahzab, 35)
• "So if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them." (Surah Muhammad, verse 21)

In the hadith the Prophet (PBUH) commanded people to speak the truth, stressed its importance and described the many honours and benefits of being truthful.

Ibn Masud (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Truth leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man keeps speaking the truth until he is recorded with Allah as truthful. Falsehood leads to sin and sin leads to Hell. A man keeps telling lies until he is recorded with Allah as a great liar." (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad, Muwatta Malik, Darimi)

Abu Muhammad Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) narrated: "I remember these words from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): 'Leave what puts you in doubt for what does not put you in doubt, for truth brings peace of mind and falsehood brings doubt.'" (Tirmidhi, Nasai, Musnad Ahmad, Darimi)

Abu Sufyan Sakhr ibn Harb (RA) narrated a long hadith about Heraclius, the Roman emperor. Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan, who had not yet embraced Islam, what the Prophet (PBUH) commanded them to do. Abu Sufyan said: "He says: 'Worship Allah alone, associate no one with Him, and abandon what your forefathers used to say (and do).' And he commands us:

to pray;

to speak the truth;

to keep chaste; and

to maintain the ties of kinship." (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad)

Abu Sabit, also said to be Abu Said or Abul Walid, Sahl ibn Hunaif (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever sincerely asks Allah for martyrdom, Allah will raise him to the rank of the martyrs even if he dies on his own bed." (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Darimi)

Abu Khalid Hakim ibn Hizam (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The buyer and the seller are free (to confirm or cancel the deal) until they part. If they speak the truth and make things clear (hiding no defect), their sale is blessed. If they hide (defects) and lie, the blessing of their sale is erased." (Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad)

This is why the Quran declares that where truth comes, darkness does not remain; truth lights up the darkness. Allah says: "And say (O Messenger): 'Truth has come and falsehood has vanished; indeed falsehood is bound to vanish.'" (Surah Bani Israil, verse 81)

People should therefore always speak the truth, shape themselves in its mould and strive to gain its honour and benefits. The writer prays that Allah grants the Muslim ummah the ability to speak the truth in every sphere of life and to attain the dignity and rewards of truthfulness. Amin.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.