Page 12 - What the Qur'an Says about Liars and Their Methods

INTRODUCTION

T T he great majority of people claim that they are
virtuous, have a strong morality, do not harm
others, and have no bad characteristics.
Unfortunately, the reality is somewhat different, for the vast
majority of people have some bad moral aspects that Allah has
forbidden because they are displeasing to Him. However,
these aspects are not regarded as bad or ugly, because they are
widespread in the community and thus considered normal.
For example, Allah forbids gossip and even compares it to eat-
ing your dead brother's flesh. (Surat al-Hujurat, 49:12) In spite
of this, when a group of people come together, they gossip
about others. Even television programs and magazines pro-
vide space for gossip.
In addition to gossip, Allah warns people against mock-
ing others, miserliness, and arrogance, and also informs us that
indulging in them will be compensated with Hell. But a large
majority of people have such characteristics and do not regard
them as harmful. They think that a murderer, a thief, or a ruth-
less dictator who carries out massacres is a very bad person,
but regard their own moral deficiencies, as described above, as
harmless and unimportant. The truth is that all types of im-
morality will receive their just reward, according to their de-
gree, in Allah's presence.
Lying, which is the subject of this book, is something to

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