Name:OMAMA SHOAIB

ROLL.NO:BSENLB-22-37
DATE OF SUBMISSION:12/12/2023

ASSIGNMENT

HONESTY ACCORDING TO ISLAM

 The Importance of Honesty

Honesty means giving the right guidance to the person who needs
it.Honesty is the greatest moral virtue.From honesty springs forth
many of the most noble of human qualities and
characteristics.Truthfulness and honesty are two characteristics
without which a man can not claim himself to be a true Muslim.
Honesty means saying and acting truthfully in all times, matters,
and conditions.According to Qur'an:

“Honesty descended from the Heavens and settled in the roots

of the hearts of men (faithful believers), and then the Qur'an was
revealed and the people read the Qur'an, (and learnt it from it)
and also learnt from the sayings and traditions. Both the Qur’an
and the traditions strengthened their honesty.” (Saheeh Al-
Bukhari)

 Allah also loves those who speak truth

Islam orders us as Muslims to be honest to others and ourselves.A

Muslim is ordered by Allah to be honest in his words and deeds, in
private and public.Being honest and truthful to oneself is implied by
obeying Allah’s law.Being truthful with others means saying the
truth and being honest in all dealings including the realm of trade
and business, purchasing, education, learning, communication, and
marriage.
A true Muslim is the one who could be distinguished by his essential
characteristics of honesty and truthfulness.Honesty in Islam
consolidates the notions of truthfulness and dependability, and it
lives in all human words, thoughts, relations, and actions.

“O you who have believed fear Allah and be with those who are
true.” [9:119]

Ibn Katheer, the renowned scholar of the meanings of the Holy

Qur’an illustrated the significance of this verse.He was reported to
have said, “Being truthful and sticking to truthfulness implies you
will be among the people of the truth and be safeguarded from
calamity and that it will make a way out for you from your
tribulations.”
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the best example for
all Muslims at all times and in all situations.He was a flawless case
of honesty in Islam and before his prophet-hood, people of Makkah
named the Prophet (peace be upon him) as the honest and truthful
(Al-Amin and As-Sadiq).Even Abu Sufyan, an adversary of the
Prophet (peace be upon him) in the beginning of the Prophet’s call,
admitted the prophet’s honesty.When the Prophet (peace be upon
him) sent a letter to Heraclius the Emperor of Byzantium welcoming
him to Islam,Heraclius sent for Abu Sufyan to ask about Prophet
Mohammad (peace be upon him)and what this prophet was calling
the people to.Abu Sufyan said, “He never tells lies or deceives
others.He invites the people to love Allah Alone and he advises us
to fear Allah, and he calls the people to honesty and abstinence”.

 The Benefits of Honesty

It is of the mannerism of the high path of Islam to be honest when

one speaks.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Honesty certainly leads

to goodness, and goodness leads to paradise. Truly, a man
keeps speaking the truth until he is inscribed as being true
through and through. And lying leads to going wrong, and going
wrong leads to hell. Truly, a man lies and lies until he is
inscribed as being a liar through and through” (Bukhari and
Muslim).
Fasting is one way that Muslims practice their honesty with their
Lord and with themselves.A fasting Muslim does not allow a drop of
water to go into his mouth because he has learned to be honest.It is
also obligatory for us to be honest in making and keeping promises.
Being punctual and not to waste is another instance of honesty.
Punctuality at school, at work, or at an agreed meeting is part of
our honesty with ourselves and other people.Honesty fosters
constructive courage,which is doing what you know you want or
need to do, despite your fear.Being honest with yourself and with
others shows how much you really care and demonstrates self-
respect and respect for others.Honesty fosters a connection
and can bring people closer in their interactions.Honesty attracts
honesty. If honesty becomes an unconscious habit, one becomes
magnetized to other honest people.One can dig himself deeper into
a hole with lies and deceit, however being honest keeps you out of
trouble, guides one always in the right track especially when one
fears the anticipated consequences.Honesty, is an essential
characteristic of a Muslim, includes being truthful towards Allah by
worshiping Him sincerely; being truthful to oneself, by adhering to
Allah’s laws; and being truthful with others by speaking the truth
and being honest in all dealings.Thus, a person should be the same
on the inside as he is on the outside.
A true Islamic society is based upon honesty and justice, and is
intolerant of dishonesty in all its various forms.A Muslim seeking to
please Allah and follow the path of righteousness should be aware
of the dangers of deceit and dishonesty.However, equally he should
know that Allah is all Merciful, willing to forgive even the gravest
sins for those who strive for His sake.Honesty is very important in
the life of a believer.

 Way to paradise

Speaking the truth leads directly to Paradise.Lack of integrity and

trust cannot combine in Islam; a Muslim must not be dishonest and
declare to have strong belief (Imaan).Fairness is a quality that
allows us to gain Allah's (SWT) favor and, as a result, achieve
prosperity and happiness in this world and the world here after.
According to the Holy Qur'an, the honest would be honored and
protected from misfortune on the Day of Judgment.
“Allah will declare, “This is the Day when only the faithful will
benefit from their faithfulness. Theirs are Gardens under which
rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. Allah is pleased with
them and they are pleased with Him. That is the ultimate
triumph [5:119]”.

 How to be honest and truthful with Allah and with

people

Islam encourages believers to be honest not only towards

community, but also with themselves and their Lord. To be genuine
to oneself promotes self-accountability, which is essential for an
individual to recognize, own up to, as well as correct his faults.
Becoming honest with Allah (SWT) involves worshiping Him with a
true and genuine conscience and working consistently to follow His
commands. To be honest to fellow companions means to express
the truth as it is, to fulfill all commitments, and to participate in
honest interactions free of all forms of deception and cheating.

Honesty extends to the genuineness of the behaviors and activities.

If someone is honest to own-self and to Allah (SWT), he will act with
honesty and integrity in all parts of life, eliminating all forms of
deception. In core, dishonesty grows from an absence of integrity
and a divergence from the righteousness path.

As reported by Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), Prophet

Mohammad (P.B.U.H) has stated that:

“Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not
make you doubt, for truthfulness is certainty and tranquility,
whilst lying is doubt and confusion [Tirmidhi, 2520]. ”
  A good human is always careful about his words

It is the responsibility of Muslims to be mindful of their words and

to remain genuine, regardless of how difficult it may be. Allah (SWT)
appreciates people who chose to communicate the truth over
dishonesty. Lying may appear easy in the short term, but over the
long term, expressing the reality is a far easier alternative that
provides people with piece of mind.

 How should we understand honesty?

Honesty means choosing not to lie, steal, cheat, or deceive in any

way. Be honest with yourself, others, and God at all times.

With honesty we can build strength of character that will allow us

to be of service to God and all of humanity.

Here are some reminders to help us realize honesty:

1. If you are in school do not cheat in any way. Cheating

does not lead to success.
2. If you are working be honest in your job, giving a full
amount of work for your pay.
3. Do not rationalize dishonest behavior.
4. Do not make commitments that you are not sure about but
if you make a commitment make sure you carry it out.
5. Do not make up stories to make yourself look better.
6. Accept mistakes and decide to face the consequences. In
the long run you will reap the reward of honesty.
7. People who feel good about themselves are less likely to
lie.
8. Avoid situations in which others may ask you to lie for
them.
  Conclusion
Islam instructs the Muslim to be honest and trains him to be so.The
outcome is a healthy self and a healthy social atmosphere that
leads to the happiness of both the individual and the
community.Therefore, people should remember oneself:embrace
the truth, because Allah (SWT) would love and reward such truthful
people not only in this life, but also in the Afterlife.Our most
important goal is to facilitate and encourage sincerity to Allah, by
persuasion and good example; faith displayed out of compulsion or
in a state of hypocrisy has no value. Honest citizens contribute to
the health of our societies by performing their duties and
courageously speaking the truth on social problems; honesty is
always valuable, even if it is mistaken.