The Categories of As-Sidq (Truthfulness)
First: Truthfulness with Allaah and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
Truthfulness with Allaah is the most magnificent type of truthfulness. The Muslim is considered truthful with his Lord when he fulfils truthfulness in the following aspects: faith, correct belief, acts of obedience, and manners. And faith is not attained by wishing or pretending.
Ibn Al-Qayyim (Rahimahullaah) said in his book “Al-Fawaa’id”: “There is nothing more beneficial for the slave than his truthfulness with his Lord in all his affairs:
i) Truthfulness in resolution; such that one is truthful with his Lord in what he has resolved, and
ii) Truthfulness in his action.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Muhammad [47:21]:
طَاعَةٌ وَقَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ ۚ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ الْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا اللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ
“Obedience (to Allaah) and good words (were better for them). And when the matter (preparation for Jihaad) is resolved on, then if they had been true to Allaah, it would have been better for them.”
So, his happiness is in his truthful resolution and truthful action.
Truthfulness in resolution is by collecting one’s heart upon the matter, not being reluctant; but rather, resolving to take the action without it being blemished with hesitance or blame.
If one is truthful in his resolution, then it remains for him to be truthful in his action, which is exerting his utmost in putting effort and not lagging from it inwardly or outwardly.
A resolved intention prevents one from weak intent and will, and a truthful action prevents him from laziness and slackness.
Allaah will do more for the one who is truthful with Him in all his affairs than He does for others.
This truthfulness is a meaning that connects correct sincerity and truthful Tawakkul (reliance). The most truthful people are those whose sincerity and Tawakkul are correct.” [End quote]
Truthfulness is a pillar on which the Tawheed of Allaah is established.
The Tawheed of Allaah is established on two great pillars which are truthfulness and sincerity. Sincerity is singling Allaah out with worship by not associating partners with Him, while as-Sidq (truthfulness) is by collecting the heart and resolving to fulfil and perfect the act of worship such that the heart is not occupied with something other than it.
Accordingly, sincerity is Tawheed of the One Who is sought and truthfulness is Tawheed of the intention and will.
There are three pillars on which faith is based and by which salvation is attained:
First: To be for One; i.e. to be sincere and not associate a partner with Allaah
Second: To be one; i.e. to be truthful in resolution, diligence and effort.
Third: Upon one; i.e. to follow the way of truth and faith.
By these three matters the slave will attain happiness, success, and salvation in this Dunya and the Hereafter.
Sincerity and truthfulness are joined together. Reflect over their joining in Allaah’s Statement in Surat Al-Hajj [22:30]:
فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ
“So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements)”
Shun the abomination of worshipping idols by being sincere, and shun lying speech (false statements) by being truthful.
Sincerity and truthfulness are two conditions for the acceptance of the word of Tawheed “La ilaaha illa Allaah”:
Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that he said: “O Allaah’s Messenger! Who will be the happiest person who will gain your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?” Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “O Abu Hurairah! I have thought that none will ask me about it before you as I knew your eagerness to (learn) the Ahadeeth. The happiest person who will have my intercession on the Day of Resurrection will be the one who said sincerely from (the bottom of) his heart: La ilaaha illa Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah).” [Al-Bukhaari no. 99]
Anas ibn Maalik (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated: “Once Mu’adh was riding behind Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as a companion rider. Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘O Muadh ibn Jabal.’ Mu’adh replied: ‘Labbaik and Sa’daik, O Allaah’s Messenger!’ Again the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘O Mu’adh!’ Mu’adh said thrice: ‘Labbaik and Sa’daik, O Allaah’s Messenger!’ Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘There is none who testifies truthfully from his heart that La illaah illa Allaah wa anna Muhammadan Rasul Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah) except that Allaah will save him from the Hell-Fire.’ Mu’adh said: ‘O Allaah’s Messenger! Should I not inform the people about it so that they may have glad tidings?’ He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: ‘When (the people hear about it), they will solely depend on it.’ Then Mu’adh narrated the abovementioned Hadeeth just before his death, being afraid of committing a sin (by concealing the knowledge).” [Al-Bukhaari no. 128]
He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) set sincerity as a condition in the first Hadeeth and Sidq (truthfulness) as a condition in the second Hadeeth. Whoever is not sincere in “La ilaaha illa Allaah” is a Mushrik, and whoever is not Saadiq (truthful) in uttering this word, then he is a hypocrite, as Allaah (Ta’ala) says about the Munafiqeen (the hypocrites) in Surat Al-Munafiqoon [63:1]:
إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ َيَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِين َلَكَاذِبُون
“When the hypocrites come to you [O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)], they say: “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allaah.” Allaah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allaah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed.”
Uttering the word “La ilaaha illa Allaah” should come from a truthful heart in order for Allaah to accept it from the person and for him to truly be of its people. If he does not say this word from his heart, but merely utters it with his tongue, it will neither benefit him nor will he be of its people.
At-Tirmidhi reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) and Abu Sa’eid (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever says: ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah, wa Allaahu Akbar (There is none worthy of worship except Allaah and Allaah is the Greatest),’ his Lord affirms His statement and says: ‘My slave has said the truth; no one is worthy of worship except Me and I am the Greatest.’ And when he says: ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu (There is none worthy of worship except Allaah and He is One),’ his Lord affirms his statement and says: ‘My slave said the truth. There is none worthy of worship except Me, and I am One.’ And when he says: ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu la Shareeka lahu (There is none worthy of worship except Allaah, Alone without any partner),’ his Lord affirms his statement and says: ‘My slave has said the truth. There is none worthy of worship except Me, alone, I have no partner.’ And when he says: ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu (There is none worthy of worship except Allaah, to Him belongs all that exists and to Him is the Praise),’ his Lord affirms his statement and says: ‘My slave has said the truth, there is none worthy of worship except Me, to Me belongs all that exists, and to me is the Praise.’ And when he says: ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billaah (There is none worthy of worship except Allaah and there is no might or power except by Allaah),’ his Lord affirms his statement and says: ‘My slave has said the truth. There is none worthy of worship except Me and there is no might or power except by Me.’”
He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to say: “Whoever says it in his illness then dies, the Fire shall not touch him.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in As-Silsilah as-Saheeha no. 1390 and graded Saheeh]
Contemplate on the above great narration, with the repetition of the word of Tawheed ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah’ and Allaah’s Statement ‘My slave has said the truth.’ Pause at the word, “My slave” because this servitude which is affixed to Allaah is a servitude of honor, graciousness, and majesty, which is not attained except by one who has been truthful in the statement ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah.” However, he who has said this word merely by his tongue and was not truthful by his heart when uttering it, it will not benefit him; rather he would be of those who will be in the lowest depth of Hell-Fire if he died upon that state.
“La ilaaha illa Allaah” requires Sidq (truthfulness), and people in regards to this matter are of two parties: A truthful believer and a lying belier. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Az-Zumar [39:32-34]:
لَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَاءَهُ ۚ أَلِّلْكَافِرِينَ
“Then, who does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allaah, and denies the truth [this Qur’an, the Prophet [Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)], the Islamic Monotheism, the Resurrection and the reward or punishment according to good or evil deeds] when it comes to him! Is there not in Hell an abode for the disbelievers?”
وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
“And he [Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] who has brought the truth (this Qur’an and Islamic Monotheism) and (those who) believed therein (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism), those are Al- Muttaqun.”
لَهُم مَّا يَشَاءُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“They shall have all that they will desire with their Lord. That is the reward of Muhsinun”
The truthful believer who has brought the truth and believed therein is the one whose knowledge and action are reformed; for the reformation of knowledge is by believing in the truth, and the reformation of the action is by being truthful.
It should be borne in mind that as truthfulness to Allaah is a servitude in the heart, it is also an action that is made apparent on all the limbs. Just as the heart is required to be truthful, the tongue and limbs are also required to be truthful.
Allaah (Ta’ala) described the truthful ones in Surat Al-Baqarah in Ayatul-Birr [2:177]:
لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ ينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّوَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
“It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allaah, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allaah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masakeen (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salaat (Iqaamat-as-Salaat), and gives the Zakaat, and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.) in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al-Muttaqun.”
Allaah (Ta’ala) ended the verse with: أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا – Such are the people of the truth
Their truthfulness is due to two matters:
1) Correct belief. Their hearts are reformed by the articles of faith; belief in Allaah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books, and the Prophets. These are the foundation of the Religion and they reside in the heart.
- To believe in Allaah as a Lord, a Creator, and belief in His Beautiful Names and Noble Attributes. To believe that He is the only One Who deserves to be worshipped and none else. To single Him out with worship and to worship Him alone by obeying Him and doing righteous deeds sincerely for His Sake only; and to disassociate oneself from Shirk and its people.
- To believe in the Angels; the great soldiers of Allaah. Believing in their names, descriptions, numbers, and duties generally in what is mentioned generally and in detail regarding what is mentioned in detail, as Allaah (Ta’ala) has commanded and as it has been mentioned in the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
- To believe in the Books, i.e. every Book that Allaah has sent down upon every Messenger, as He (Ta’ala) says in Surat Ash-Shura [42:15]:
وَقُلْ آمَنتُ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِن كِتَابٍ
“But say: ‘I believe in whatsoever Allaah has sent down of the Book.’”
To believe that Allaah has sent the Books as a guidance for ‘Alameen (mankind, jinn, and all that exists) and as a reformation for the servants, and that they comprise truth and guidance. Whoever believes in them will be successful and attain happiness and whoever disbelieves, will be disgraced and a loser.
- To believe in the Prophets whom Allaah sent as warners and givers of glad tidings. To believe in every Messenger whom Allaah sent, and believe that he conveyed the message of Allaah clearly, and that he did not leave any good but guided his nation to it nor did he leave an evil except that he warned his people from it.
- To believe in the Last Day which is the Promised Day, the Day of Recompense and Reckoning. To believe in detail in all what will occur after death from that which is mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The place of all these beliefs is the heart.
2) The reformation and correctness of the deeds and that is by total submission and obedience to Allaah (Ta’ala); by performing what He has ordained and avoiding what He forbade. This all indicates the truthfulness of the slave with Allaah.
The main description of the truthful people is belief in Allaah, then comes the proof and the sign of their truthfulness with Allaah which is establishing the Salaat, giving the Zakaat, fulfilling the promises, and performing all the obligatory acts which the slave is commanded with in Islam. It is not from the signs of truthful ones to choose the acts which his self likes and leave whatever his self dislikes. Accordingly, truthfulness with Allaah is knowledge and action; ‘Aqeedah and Shari’ah. Truthfulness with Allaah is something established in the heart and has an impact on the limbs of the person. It is the inward and outward reformation of the slave, in secret and in public. The following statement of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explains this meaning:
“There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good, but if it gets spoilt, then the whole body gets spoilt, and that is the heart.” [Al-Bukhaari no. 52]
The heart that is reformed by truthfulness with Allaah affects the tongue of the person such that it becomes a truthful tongue and affects the limbs of the slave such that it becomes truthful in performing acts of obedience to Allaah.
This verse also indicates that all the actions of the limbs and all the outward Islamic legislation are aspects of truthfulness with Allaah if they are produced from the heart of the person.
If the actions that are mentioned in this noble verse are correctly fulfilled, they indicate that the person is truthful in his faith.
E.g. One’s patience becomes strong when his belief (faith) is strong. Lack of patience indicates weak faith.
Accordingly, the truthful person with Allaah is the one whose faith is strong and he has proven his strong faith by actions of the limbs.
Sources:
📚 Sharh Riyadh-us-Saliheen by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen
📚 Truthfulness with Allaah, by Shaikh Abdur-Razzq Al-Badr
📚 Truthfulness leads to Righteousness, workshop conducted by Shaikha Anaheed As-Simeeri
📚 Tayseer Al-Kareem by Shaikh As-Sa’dee
📚 Tafseer Ibn Katheer.
🌿
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