The test of truthfulness

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Sadia Dehlvi [1]

Truthfulness is not just confined to having an honest tongue. In Islam, sidq, truthfulness, is understood as the conformity of the outer with the inner, the action with the intention, the speech with the belief, and the practice with the preaching. The Quran defines prophets with the quality of truthfulness and calls upon people to keep the company of the sadiqeen, those who are truthful. Prophet Mohammad said, “I order you to be truthful, for indeed truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise.”

Sufi masters say that truthfulness is the foundation of the mystic path and it means asserting the truth even in times of peril.
Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani of Baghdad, who founded the Qadri Order in the 12th century, is universally acclaimed as the Master of all Masters, and is called “Pir Dastgir” and “Ghaus ul Azam” for his ecstatic utterance,
“My foot is on the neck of every Sufi.”
At a young age, the Shaykh travelled from his hometown in Jilan to Baghdad in the pursuit of education. His mother had counselled him to always remain truthful. He travelled with a large convoy that was attacked by robbers. One of the thieves came to him and enquired if he had any money.
The young Abdul Qadir replied that he possessed 40 dinars. The thief searched his luggage and could not find the dinars. He then took the boy to the ring leader and told him that although the boy claimed to have money, he did not find any during the search. When asked by the leader why he lied, the boy replied, “I am not lying, the dinars were sewn by my mother on the inner side of my shirt.”
On checking, the thieves found the money. Their leader said, “Boy, you could have saved your money for we would never have found it. Why did you tell us where the money was hidden?” Shaykh Abdul Qadir replied, “Before I started my journey, my mother advised me to tell the truth even if someone tries to kill me for Allah frowns upon those who do not speak the truth. My mothers advice is worth more than all these dinars.”
These words had such a deep impact on the leader that he began to weep. He felt guilty for all his wrongdoings and gave back the loot to the rightful owners.
The test of truthfulness is when we feel that deception will benefit us, but it actually harms the soul. While making friends, one should keep away from those who are hypocrites and adhere to falsehood. It is said that a mark of the liar is his eagerness to take an oath before it is demanded of him.

Sadia Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer and author of Sufism: The Heart of Islam. She can be contacted at sadiafeedback@gmail.com