In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her said:

There was no behaviour more hateful to Allāh’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, than lying. A man would tell a lie when speaking in the presence of the Prophet, and he would not be satisfied until he knew that he had repented from it. [at-Tirmidhi‌ 1973]

Abdullah Bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said:

Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me [i.e. about an incident that took place when he was not a Muslim] that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan), at the time when Allah’s Apostle had a truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem).

Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’s question said to them, “Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?” Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group).” Heraclius said, ‘Bring him [i.e. Abu Sufyan] close to me and make his companions stand behind him.” Abu Sufyan added, that Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me.” Abu Sufyan added, “By Allah! Had I Not Been Afraid of my companions labelling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him [i.e. The Prophet]. [Sahih Al-Bukhari. Hadith umber 7]

Regarding Abu Sufyan’s statement: “By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labelling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him (i.e. The Prophet)”;

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated in Fat-hul Baari that this shows that they (i.e. the pagan Arabs) used to abhor lying either due to what they followed from the previously revealed laws [i.e. the Shariah of Prophets Ibrahim and Isma’eel – peace be upon them] or it was something abhorred in their customs. [1]

Mufti, Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, said:

Calling to the path of Allah is not in need of lying. It is not permissible to utilise lying in calling to the path of Allah. Calling to the path of Allah is founded on truth—the Book, the sunnah, fine admonition, and arguing in a way that is better and not through lying.” [2]

Beware! Relentless Repetition Is Used Nowadays On Social Media to Solidify Lies or Misinformation

Gustave Le Bon, in his work “The Psychology of Crowds,” asserts that when we aim to gradually instill ideas and beliefs into the collective spirit of the masses, the methods employed by leaders vary significantly. They primarily resort to three fundamental techniques: affirmation, repetition, and contagion. While the impact of these methods may be slow, it is undeniably enduring. Political leaders advocating for a specific cause are well aware of the power of affirmation, just as industrialists recognise the importance of advertising their products. However, advertising only gains influence when coupled with repetition. Napoleon famously stated that there is but one serious form of rhetoric: repetition. Repetition possesses a certain authority that influences rational and well-informed individuals. It allows ideas to embed themselves in the recesses of the unconscious mind, gradually transforming into beliefs that are accepted as truths, ultimately becoming self-evident realities. When these ideas solidify into truths through repetition, they can spread among the masses. For instance, any disturbance among a flock of sheep quickly affects the entire group. This does not require a singular point of origin; the revolution in France in 1848 began in Paris and swiftly extended to a significant portion of Europe, destabilising the monarchies in its wake. The repetition that leads to belief in a particular issue, and consequently its spread, poses a significant risk not only in imposing opinions but also in shaping thought processes, emotions, and feelings. As a result, one may observe that the masses at one point may disdain a certain literary work, only to later take pride in it after several years, or vice versa. This phenomenon can similarly be applied to ideas and beliefs. [3]

Delving deeper into this topic reveals a range of ideologues, demagogues, and provocateurs who argue that people struggle to resist repeated messages. Initially, individuals might dismiss the content, but with ongoing exposure, their skepticism can shift to uncertainty, then bewilderment, and eventually, acceptance, causing them to view the message as truth. Consequently, they believe that relentless repetition is necessary for ideas to take root, thereby strengthening the propaganda that needs to be spread. It is profoundly disheartening to witness some Muslims resorting to such insidious tactics to tarnish reputations online. They perpetuate the same falsehoods, misconceptions, or half-truths in various forms and from multiple perspectives, all while resisting any challenge to their narratives. To remain silent in the face of such distortions would be an act of cowardice; it is imperative to articulate the truth whenever these fallacies are propagated. While it is true that not every instance of misinformation warrants a response, one must not be so naive as to underestimate the potential damage inflicted by those who disseminate their half-truths—whether overtly or covertly—to a targeted audience. When faced with someone who insists on force-feeding you their misconceptions through relentless repetition, maintain your composure and refrain from engaging in conflict. Instead, graciously persist in requesting for tangible clear proof to support their claims, undeterred by their frustration or the frequency of their assertions.

Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The seeker of truth is not diverted from the truth, fairness and justice due to admiration of the big personalities and being amazed by them, for indeed the truth is more worthy to be followed. It is not permissible to drop the proofs for the sake of this or that great man. The principle [rule] of the Muslim – the unbiased one, the seeker of truth – is always: [قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ -Say, bring forth your proofs if you are truthful]. [Surah An-Nahl. Verse 64] [4]

Read: Two Compelling Admonitions – “Outcomes of Truthfulness and Lying” By Al-Allamah Rabee Al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy upon him.

Read: https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2025/03/04/two-compelling-admonitions-outcomes-of-truthfulness-and-lying-by-al-allamah-rabee/

[1] An Excerpt. For further details, see Fat-hul Baari

[2] An Excerpt from Al-Ijaabat Al-Muhimmah Fee Mashaakil al-Mulimmah. page:271-272

[3] The Psychology of crowds 132-136

[4] Al-Mulakh-khasul Jameel Fee Bayaan Manhaji Ash-Shaikh Rabee Fid-Da’wati Wal-Jarhi Wat-Ta’deel. Page 87