Page 53 - What the Qur'an Says about Liars and Their Methods

How Liars Deceive Themselves
claiming to have good intentions:

How will it be when a disaster strikes them because of
what they have done, and then they come to you swear-
ing by Allah: "We desired nothing but good and recon-
ciliation"? Allah knows what is in such people's hearts.
So turn away from them, warn them, and speak to them
with words that have effect. (Surat an-Nisa’, 4:62-63)
Such people make the same claim even as the angels come
to take them in death and even though they are bound for Hell.
In short, they continue to pose as good people.

As for those the angels take in death while they are
wronging themselves, they will offer their submission:
"We did not do any evil." Oh yes you did! Allah knows
what you were doing. (Surat an-Nahl, 16:28)

Those who claim that their lies are
innocent and minor
Another method of self-deception is the attempt to compare
themselves favorably with great frauds and liars in order to con-
vince themselves that their own lies are minor and harmless. Or,
they try to diminish their lies by considering them to be innocent
and harmless. For example, a child buys something with her
mother's money and does not give her the change, claiming that
she received none. While the child might think that this is a
harmless lie, in reality there are no "minor" and "major" lies, for in

the Qur'an Allah orders people to "have done with telling lies"
(Surat al-Hajj, 22:30).

Believing they will not be responsible
for lies so long as no oath is sworn
Amajor and quite frequent mistake made by people who do

not follow the Qur'anic morality is the belief that they are not re- 51