Honorable Muslims!
In the verse I have recited, our Lord Almighty (swt) states, "Indeed, those who have said, 'Our Lord is Allah' and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], 'Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.'"[1]
In the hadith I have read, the Messenger of Allah (saw) says, "Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Paradise. And if a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object he will be recorded as truthful before Allah."[2]
Dear Believers!
Our sublime religion Islam commands us to be straightforward in our words and behaviors. It forbids lying, which contradicts our essence and distorts our standing on the true path. Righteousness is the essence of Islam, and the most important attribute of a moral and virtuous society. In this respect, a companion said, "O Messenger of Allah! Tell me something about Islam which might dispense with the necessity of my asking anybody after you." Our Prophet (saw) replied, قُلْ آمَنْتُ بِاللّٰهِ فَاسْتَقِمْ "Say I affirm my faith in Allah and then remain steadfast to it."[3]
Dear Muslims!
Righteousness entails a wholehearted belief in Allah (swt) and a wholehearted commitment to His Messenger (saw). It means kneading our body with worships and our soul with piety. It means to stand by the right and truth at all times. It takes us to be true to our word, loyal to our promise, and take care of what is entrusted to us. It requires to refrain from telling lies, backbiting, slandering, and using derogatory language.
Dear Muslims!
A believer shows their righteousness in their words and actions. The thoughts and words of a believer do not contradict with one another. A believer is the same on the inside and out, and their intentions and behaviors are consistent with one another. Let us make our path the path of truthfulness, and let us make sure our thoughts and words are consistend with one another. So that our world may be prosperous, and our final destination be paradise.
The foundation of righteousness in the life of a believer is first established inside the family. In a family where righteousness prevails, family members are committed to one another faithfully. Children learn honesty through their parents' good conduct. Within the trust-instilling environment of family, the weight of life is shouldered together. Let us make our path the path of truthfulness, and let us make sure we have good morals. So that our hearts may be filled with love, and our homes with peace.
A believer is truthful in business; they do not deviate from the truth for the sake of earning more money or for fear of losing their gains. They do not succumb to worldly desires and turn to haram. They know that اَلرِّزْقُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ "Sustenance is from Allah." They also know that the Messenger of Allah (saw) says, مَنْ غَشَّنَا فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا "Whoever deceives us is not one of us."[4]
A believer makes sure they are on the right path in online world as well and do not deviate from the truth. They do not harm other people's honor and dignity through lies and slanders. They do not share baseless posts that violate human and public rights. Let us make our path the path of truthfulness and let us make sure we have good intentions. In our beloved Prophet's (saw) words, those who have believed in Allah (swt) and in the Day of Judgment should either speak good or remain silent.[5]
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
The Messenger of Allah (saw) warns us as follows: "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink."[6]
Let us thus view the month of Ramadan as an opportunity to empower ourselves with truthfulness and ensure that it prevails our lives. Let us not forget that losing truthfulness automatically translates into losing the good. Lies and injustices committed with the intention of gaining worldly benefits will undoubtedly lead to evil. Being steadfast and truthful in all affairs and words will lead to good, and the good will lead to paradise.
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[1] Fussilat, 41/30.
[2] Bukhari, Adab, 69.
[3] Muslim, Iman, 62.
[4] Muslim, Iman, 164.
[5] Bukhari, Adab, 3.
[6] Bukhari, Sawm, 8.
General Directorate of Religious Services