Page 28 - What the Qur'an Says about Liars and Their Methods
P. 28

WHAT THE QUR'AN SAYS ABOUT LIARS AND THEIR METHODS
             that her husband had done things that he had not done and
             had bought her presents that he had not bought. When our
             Prophet (saas) heard of this, he said:
                 "The one who creates a false impression of receiving what
                 one has not been given is like one who wears a garment of
                 falsehood." 6
                 There are countless examples of lies told by people who
             want to show off to others. Many people exaggerate the truth
             about their house, car, office, their children's successes, their
             holiday, and their origins. Since they have made a habit of
             lying, they lie as a reflex in every conversation. However, be-
             cause their brains cannot keep track of all of their lies, these
             change according to subject and place until they finally give
             themselves away and thus betray and demean themselves.
                 Always seeking the approval of anyone other than Allah,
             they do their best to present a likeable image of themselves to
             others. They believe that they must promote themselves at all
             times—a belief that requires a great deal of lying. They feel
             obliged to adapt everything, from their taste in music to their
             status at work, to impress other people. But such an attempt
             ultimately fails, with the result that their lies are exposed; they
             demean themselves, and they live in a state of constant stress,
             disappointment, and tension. As a result, they derive no pleas-
             ure from what they are saying and find no beauty in it. In addi-
             tion, since their lies cannot satisfy everyone, they try to appeal
             to the others and attract their attention as well. This resembles
             a vicious circle from which nothing emerges and which pre-
             vents a sincere, comfortable, and tranquil life. In the Qur'an,
             Allah tells us about those who take deities other than Himself
             in the following terms:
                 Allah has made a metaphor for them of a man owned

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