Wednesday, August 19, 2026

The Dangers of Treachery and Deception: Islamic Teachings on Honesty and Good Character

A Rule to Remember

My Dear Islamic Brothers! Remember! it is important to decide a salary where deciding is expected, for instance labour, rent for a house, shop or car, but if a price is already fixed and the people involved already know then deciding again is not needed, for instance when sitting in a hotel there are menus with the prices and the customer is aware of them, or if the prices of food are known buy the customer without having to ask anyone or look at a menu, this also includes bus fares. My Dear Islamic brothers! Unfortunately, most of us are unaware of such rulings and to know them is absolutely vital otherwise one will commit treachery without even realising what he has done. To develop the desire to learn these things, make a habit of travelling in the Sunnah-inspiring Qafilas of Dawat-e-Islami punctually and to gain steadfastness, act upon the Madanī In'aamaat and fill in the Madanī In'aamaat card doing Fikr-e-Madina and hand it in to your local responsible Islamic brother at the end of every month, اِنْ شَاءَ الله عَزَّوَجَلَّ you will see the blessings of this for your self.

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

The Third Piece of Merchandise: Treachery

One of Satan's pieces of merchandise is treachery which he sells to women. This does not mean that men are not treacherous. Deceiving people is a sin whether men do it or women. Deceiving Muslims is a major sin, Harām and leads to Hell.

The Deceiver is cursed

Ameer-ul-Mumineen, Sayyidunā Abu Bakr Siddiq رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ narrates that the Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said, "One who harms a Muslim or deceives him is cursed". (Jami' Tirmizi, Hadith 1948, V3, P378, Dar-ul-Fikr Beirut) Another narration mentions this saying of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم, "One who harms anyone will be harmed by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and one who causes difficulties to anyone will be put in difficulty by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ."

(Ibn-e-Majah, V3, P107, Hadith 2342, Beirut)

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيب صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى مُحَمَّد

No Entry into Heaven

Our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم has warned, "The one who deceives us is not amongst us, treachery and cheating is of hell". (Tabarani Kabeer, Hadith 10234, V10, P138, Dar Ihyaitturathil Arabiy Beirut) In another Hadith, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said, "There are three types of people who will not enter paradise; (1) Cheaters (2) Those who remind people of favours (3) Stingy people.

(Tirmizi, V3, P388, Hadith 1970, Dar-ul-Fikr Beirut)

Reminding People of Favours is Harmful

My Dear Islamic Brothers! These days, like treachery, the illness of reminding people of favours is very common amongst Muslims. Remember! Reminding people of favours ruins the virtue done by doing that favour. For example, in front of others Zaid says to Bakr, "You should thank me for getting you have a job, you should be grateful to me for teaching you how to perform wudu", in this way Satan ruins his virtues, in fact teasing hurts a Muslim's emotions. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ

TRANSLATION FROM KANZ-UL-IMAN

O you who believe! Do not make your Almsgiving vain by reproach and injury.

(Part 3 Surah Al Baqarah verse 264)

Styles of Giving Money

Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan Naeemi عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ says in "Noor-ul-Irfan", this tells us that if giving sadaqah to a poor person publicly humiliates him it should be given secretly without others knowing because giving sadaqah publicly in this case would cause him grief". So when giving money to a scholar or Imam, the envelope should be given secretly. Some people place the money in the Imam's hand and close it in a manner revealing that he is being given money; some people give a note for Dua in a manner implying it is money! This manner of giving a note could hurt the feelings of a dignified Muslim.

Shaikh Shibli's عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ hatred for Treachery

My Dear Islamic Brothers! Treachery is a big problem. Our pious saints رَحِمَهُمُ اللهُ تَعَالَى hated treachery. Sayyidunā Shaikh Abu Bakr Shibli رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ went to a sheikh to learn the science of nahw (Arabic etymology). The teacher said, "Daraba Zaidun Amran" (Zaid hit Amr) He asked his teacher, "Did Zaid really hit Amr?" He replied, "No, it is only an example". The shaikh said, "I do not want to learn the thing based on lies".

(Nuzha-tul-Majalis, Baab-uz-Zakaat, P199, Dar-ul-Kutubul Ilmiya)

My Dear Islamic Brothers! Did you see how much Sayyidunā Abu Bakr Shibli رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ hated treachery? This is an example of his great piety, despite the fact that there was no harm in giving such an example.

Imam Bukhari عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ and the Man who was deceiving a Horse

The most authentic book after the Holy Qur'an is "Sahih Bukhari". Sayyidunā sheikh Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ has done a huge favour upon the Muslim Ummah by collecting these Ahadith. Here is an example of his piety and scrupulous character. He once went to see a man in order to hear a Hadith. The man's horse had run away from him and stood at a distance. To make the horse walk towards him he lifted his shirt and acted as if he had barley inside it and began to tempt the animal, this made the animal come back to him allowing the man to catch it. Sayyidunā Imam Bukhari رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُasked the man if he really did have barley in his shirt, to which the reply was, "No, I only did it to bring the horse back". The Imam said, "How can I take a blessed hadith of The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم from a man who lies to animals!"

(Nuzha-tul-Majalis, Baab-uz-Zakaat, P199, Dar-ul-Kutubul Ilmiya)

My Dear Islamic Brothers! Our pious saints had Madanī frame of mind; our minds do not have access to where their minds reached. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ protect us from the disasters of treachery.

أَمِينَ بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الْأَمِين صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم

No comments:

Post a Comment