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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