[5] Truthfulness is elevation regardless of one’s circumstances

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Allāh’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

Adhere to truthfulness, for indeed, truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man will keep speaking the truth and striving to speak the truth until he will be recorded with Allah as a Siddeeq (speaker of the truth). Beware of lying, for indeed, lying leads to immorality and immorality leads to Hellfire. A man will keep telling lies and striving to tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar. [Muslim, 4721]

Junayd al-Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“The reality of truthfulness is that you remain truthful in a situation from which nothing can save you except lying.” [a] [Madarij As-Salikin 3/20]

[a] NB: There are situations when one lies to save his life such as one in a state of Mukrah. Allah, The Most High, said:

مَن كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَٰكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment. [An-Nahl 106]

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, stated that this Ayah was revealed regarding Ammar, may Allah be pleased with and his parents. The Nushrikun captured him along with his father Yasir, his mother Sumayyah, Ṣuhayb, Bilal, Khabbab, and Saalim, and tortured them.

Sumayyah was tied between two camels and struck on her private area with a spear which resulted in her murder. Her husband Yasir was also murdered. They were the first two martyrs in Islam.

As for ʿAmmar, he verbally complied with their demands under duress. Qatāda reported:

Banu al-Mugheerah took Ammr and placed him in the well of Maymun, and demanded that he disbelieve in Muḥammad. He outwardly said it, while his heart rejected what he said. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was informed that he had renounced his Iman, so he said “No, ʿAmmār is filled with Iman from head to toe. Iman has merged with his flesh and blood”.

Then he came to Allah’s Messenger in tears. The Prophet asked: “What troubles you?” He replied: “Evil, O Allāh’s Messenger. I was compelled to speak against you and mention their deities.” The Prophet asked: “How did you find your heart?” He answered: “At peace with Iman.” The Prophet then wiped his eyes and said: “If they return to you, then respond to them with what you said.” Thereafter, this verse was revealed.

See Tafsir Al-Baghawi