By Muhammad Al-Ghazali

"Allâh will say: ‘This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise) - they shall abide therein forever.' Allâh is pleased with them and they with Him. That is the great success." (Quran 5:119)

Allah has created this whole universe on the basis of love, and has demanded that the people should build up their lives on the foundation of truth, should make truth and straight dealing a practice of their life, and should give place to truth in their speech and dealings.

When this clear sense of truth is lost sight by people, and false stories, superstitions and absurd beliefs rule their lives, then their hearts become hard and harsh, they stray from the right path, and become blind to the truth.

For this reason, a Muslim's character must be built on straight dealing and the pillar of truth. It is his duty to be attached to truth in every matter and to see every problem and affair through the lenses of truth. To keep it in front of him in every decision he makes is the clearest manifestation of his straight dealings in life. Similarly, the construction of the society in Islam is made on this foundation that mere conjectures and superstitions are opposed, falsehoods thrown out, and doubts and misgivings discouraged. Only strong and firm realities deserve to be manifested: they should have their imprint on the society, and their help should be taken in strengthening our connections to the religion.

The Quran condemns those communities who follow conjectures and superstitions and fill their brains with absurdities. Falsehood puts  their present and future at stake with the risk of corruption and disruption in their communities :

"They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire, even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord." (Quran 53:23)

"But they have no knowledge therein. They follow nothing but conjecture and conjecture avails nothing against Truth" (Quran 53:28)

The distinctive characteristic of the Muslim society in its earliest period was truth, discipline, tolerance and cautious manner of speaking. Falsehood: broken promises, false accusations, and baseless rumors are the signs of straying away from the true religion.

Truthful Words Lead to Good Deeds

If a man is truthful and straightforward in in what he says, then inevitably there will be truthfulness and sincerity in his deeds and his life will be changed for the better. By adopting truthful and straightforward methods in dealing with others, the light of truth illuminates a man's heart and mind and the darkness of falsehood is banished:

"O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger (PBUH) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and will be admitted to Paradise)." (Quran 33: 70-71)

A man's good deeds and actions are done with certainty and sincerity with no misgivings because the source of all good actions is the truth.

The success of the communities and nations in the matter of conveying their message depends on the fact that the bearers of the message must be performers of right action. If they have an abundant record of right and truthful action, then they can reach the zenith of success and glory. Otherwise, they stray away from their destination with mere idleness, senseless activities, slogan shouting and self-praise that will get them nowhere.

Truth illuminates the path to righteousness, which is the highest peak of goodness only reached by men with great determination. The following verses of the holy Quran says it all:

It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masâkin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salât (prayers), and gives the Zakât (charity), and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al¬Muttaqûn (pious). (Quran 2: 177)