Salam Alaykum,

this month theme is be more truthful, this post is very late more than half way through the month but inshaAllah I’d like to discuss some things about it before the month ends, with Allah’s help.

Truthfulness is the quality of being truthful, which is made up of truth and the suffix -ful. Truth comes from the Old English trēowþ which in turn comes from the Proto Indo-European dru- meaning tree derived from deru meaning solid or firm. Implying truth is something set, solid, unchangeable, withstanding all kinds of weather. 

In Arabic sidq can be used to denote truthfulness, it’s original meaning similar to the Proto Indo-European is one of strength and hardness. The opposite of sidq is kadhib lying or deceit. The word Haqq is also used to mean truth but specifically to an objective truth, such as the Quran and Al-Haqq is one of Allah swt. names the Absolute Truth.

In one of his books Toshihiko Izutsu, a Buddhist translator of the Quran into Japanese refers to Ibn Ishaq as an example of distinguishing between sidq and Haqq.

The Apostle of God informed the people of what they knew was truth (Haqq) and so they recognized at once his truthfulness (sidq).

Sidq is the property of truthfulness of a person and Haqq the objective truth. Furthermore sidq incorporates the intention and the reality of something being true. Therefore one cannot claim, as I understand it, to be siddiq when one thinks that something is wrong, presents it as truth and it also turns out to be truth.

Do not mix truth with falsehood, or hide the truth when you know it.

[Quran Al-Baqarah 2:42]

The inner and the outer have to be the same, that is the speech and belief, as well as the action and intention have to be truthful.

Being truthful is our duty in a world full of deceit where no one is sure of whether what we are being told is the truth indeed this is a sign of the End of Days, when “…People will distrust one who is trustworthy, and trust one who is treacherous;…”

Lastly Ibn Al-Qayyim rah. said about truthfulness: 

“Truthfulness is the greatest of stations, from it sprout all the various stations of those traversing the path to Allah; and from it sprouts the upright path which if not trodden, perdition is that persons fate. Through it is the hypocrite distinguished from the believer and the inhabitant of Paradise from the denizen of Hell. It is the sword of Allah in His earth: it is not placed on anything except that it cuts it; it does not face falsehood expect that it hunts it and vanquishes it; whoever fights with it will not be defeated; and whoever speaks it, his word will be made supreme over his opponent. It is the very essence of deeds and the well spring of spiritual states, it allows the person to embark boldly into dangerous situations, and it is the door through which one enters the presence of the One possessing Majesty. It is the foundation of the building of Islam, the central pillar of the edifice of certainty and the next level in ranking after the level of prophethood.”

 

Wa Salamm,
Abdur-Rahman