Lies and Forgery

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ يَا أَبَا النُّعْمَانِ لَا تَكْذِبْ عَلَيْنَا كَذِبَةً فَتُسْلَبَ الْحَنِيفِيَّةَ وَ لَا تَطْلُبَنَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ رَأْساً فَتَكُونَ ذَنَباً وَ لَا تَسْتَأْكِلِ النَّاسَ بِنَا فَتَفْتَقِرَ فَإِنَّكَ مَوْقُوفٌ لَا مَحَالَةَ وَ مَسْئُولٌ فَإِنْ صَدَقْتَ صَدَّقْنَاكَ وَ إِنْ كَذَبْتَ كَذَّبْنَاكَ.

“Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) said to me, ‘O abu al-Nu’man, do not forge lies against us; it removes (your) true belief. Do not seek to be the head to become a sin and do not use people as means of your earning through us; it will make you poor. You will be held accountable and will be stopped for interrogations. If you spea

كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ص يَقُولُ لِوُلْدِهِ‌ اتَّقُوا الْكَذِبَ الصَّغِيرَ مِنْهُ وَ الْكَبِيرَ فِي كُلِّ جِدٍّ وَ هَزْلٍ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا كَذَبَ فِي الصَّغِيرِ اجْتَرَى عَلَى الْكَبِيرِ أَ مَا عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ مَا يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكْتُبَهُ اللَّهُ صِدِّيقاً وَ مَا يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَكْذِبُ حَتَّى يَكْتُبَهُ اللَّهُ كَذَّاباً.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) would say to his children, ‘Be on your guard against lies, the small lies and the bigger lies in all the serious and trivial matters. If a man lies in a small matter, he grows bold to lie in a bigger one. Have you not noted that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘As long as a servant (of Allah)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ لِلشَّرِّ أَقْفَالًا وَ جَعَلَ مَفَاتِيحَ تِلْكَ الْأَقْفَالِ الشَّرَابَ وَ الْكَذِبُ شَرٌّ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ‌[1].

3. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from ibn Muskan from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has created certain locks for evil. He has made wine the key to those locks. Lying is more evil than wine.

إِنَّ الْكَذِبَ هُوَ خَرَابُ الْإِيمَانِ‌[2].

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Lying is the destruction ofbelief.”’

الْكَذِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ ص مِنَ الْكَبَائِرِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Forgery against Allah and the Messenger of Allah is of the major sins.”’

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُكَذِّبُ الْكَذَّابَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ثُمَّ الْمَلَكَانِ اللَّذَانِ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ هُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ كَاذِبٌ.

‘The first one to rebuff the liar is Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, then the two angels who are with him, then he is the one who knows he is a liar.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْكَذَّابَ يَهْلِكُ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَ يَهْلِكُ أَتْبَاعُهُ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ‌[3].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A liar is destroyed by means of clear evidence (his false claims) and his followers are destroyed on ambiguous evidence (accepting a leader whose qualification is doubtful).”’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ آيَةَ الْكَذَّابِ بِأَنْ يُخْبِرَكَ خَبَرَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَهُ عَنْ حَرَامِ اللَّهِ وَ حَلَالِهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ[1].

‘Of the signs of lies in a liar is his telling you news of heaven, earth. East and West, but when you ask him about what Allah has made unlawful and what He has made lawful, you will find nothing with him (devoid of the knowledge of Shari’a).”’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْكَذِبَةَ لَتُفَطِّرُ الصَّائِمَ قُلْتُ وَ أَيُّنَا لَا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ قَالَ لَيْسَ حَيْثُ ذَهَبْتَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ الْكَذِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَ عَلَى الْأَئِمَّةِ ص.

‘It is certain that a lie destroys fasting (invalidates it).’ I then said, ‘Who is he among us who is not such a person?’ The Imam said, ‘It is not as you think it is. It is forging lies against Allah, the Messenger of Allah and ‘A’immah, recipients of divine supreme covenant.’”

ذُكِرَ الْحَائِكُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَنَّهُ مَلْعُونٌ‌[2] فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ذَاكَ الَّذِي يَحُوكُ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ ص.

“It was mentioned before Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) that the weaver (knitting) is condemned. The Imam said, ‘It is the one who weaves and fabricates lies against Allah and the Messenger of Allah.”’

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَا يَجِدُ عَبْدٌ طَعْمَ الْإِيمَانِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَ الْكَذِبَ هَزْلَهُ وَ جِدَّهُ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘A servant (of Allah) does not sense the taste of belief until he stays away from lies, serious ones as well as trivial ones.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْكَذَّابُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَكْذِبُ فِي الشَّيْ‌ءِ قَالَ لَا مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَ لَكِنَّ الْمَطْبُوعَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ‌[1].

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Is a liar one who lies about something?’ The Imam said, ‘No, there is no one who does not do so. It is those in whom lying becomes a thing of second nature.’”

قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع مَنْ كَثُرَ كَذِبُهُ ذَهَبَ بَهَاؤُهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Jesus, son of Mary has said, “One who lies, often his grace goes away.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُلِ الْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَجْتَنِبَ مُوَاخَاةَ الْكَذَّابِ فَإِنَّهُ يَكْذِبُ حَتَّى يَجِي‌ءَ بِالصِّدْقِ فَلَا يُصَدَّقُ.

“It is very proper for a Muslim man to avoid friendship and brotherhood with a liar; he lies and, even if he comes with truth, he is not believed and trusted.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ مِمَّا أَعَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَلَى الْكَذَّابِينَ النِّسْيَانَ‌[2].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘The assistance that Allah finds (for His cause) against the liars is in (their) forgetfulness.’”

الْكَلَامُ ثَلَاثَةٌ صِدْقٌ وَ كَذِبٌ وَ إِصْلَاحٌ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ قِيلَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا الْإِصْلَاحُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ تَسْمَعُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ كَلَاماً يَبْلُغُهُ فَتَخْبُثُ نَفْسُهُ‌[3] فَتَلْقَاهُ فَتَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ مِنْ فُلَانٍ قَالَ فِيكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا خِلَافَ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْهُ.

“Statements are of three kinds: true, false and to establish truce among people.’ The narrator has said that it was asked of him, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what is establishing truce among people?’ The Imam said, ‘It is when you hear something about a man that, if he himself may hear it, his so

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّا قَدْ رُوِّينَا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي قَوْلِ يُوسُفَ ع- أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسارِقُونَ‌ فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا سَرَقُوا وَ مَا كَذَبَ‌ وَ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع- بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ‌ هذا فَسْئَلُوهُمْ‌ إِنْ كانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ‌ فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا فَعَلُوا وَ مَا كَذَبَ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا عِنْدَكُمْ فِيهَا يَا صَيْقَلُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ مَا

“Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘We narrate it from abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the words of Yusuf, “O people of the camels, you are thieves.” (12:70) The Imam said, ‘By Allah, they did not steal and he did not lie.’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كُلُّ كَذِبٍ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ صَاحِبُهُ يَوْماً إِلَّا كَذِباً فِي ثَلَاثَةٍ رَجُلٌ كَائِدٌ فِي حَرْبِهِ فَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ عَنْهُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ أَصْلَحَ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ يَلْقَى هَذَا بِغَيْرِ مَا يَلْقَى بِهِ هَذَا يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا أَوْ رَجُلٌ وَعَدَ أَهْلَهُ شَيْئاً وَ هُوَ لَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُتِمَّ لَهُمْ.

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A person lying will be held accountable for all kinds of lies except three kinds: a man plotting in his fight will not be held accountable, a man trying to establish peace between antagonistic parties who may say something other than a party may have said with the intention to est

الْمُصْلِحُ لَيْسَ بِكَذَّابٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘A reformer (a peace maker) is not a liar.’”

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِحَدِيثٍ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَ لَيْسَ زَعَمْتَ لِيَ السَّاعَةَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَقَالَ لَا فَعَظُمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى وَ اللَّهِ زَعَمْتَ فَقَالَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا زَعَمْتُهُ قَالَ فَعَظُمَ عَلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ بَلَى وَ اللَّهِ قَدْ قُلْتَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَدْ قُلْتُهُ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ كُلَّ زَعْمٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ كَذِبٌ‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) stated to me a Hadith and I said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, did you not have a (Za’m) about me a while ago of such and such nature?’ The Imam said, ‘No.’ The narrator has said that it became very hard for me to understand and I said, ‘Yes, by Allah you did have such (Za’m

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص يَقُولُ‌ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْكَذِبَ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ رَاجٍ طَالِبٌ وَ كُلَّ خَائِفٍ هَارِبٌ

“Amir al-Mifminin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) would say, ‘Beware of lying; every hopeful strives to make his wish come true and every fearful person runs away (and I do not find this quality in you).”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا كَذَبَ عَلَى مُصْلِحٍ ثُمَّ تَلَا أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسارِقُونَ‌ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا سَرَقُوا وَ مَا كَذَبَ ثُمَّ تَلَا- بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هذا فَسْئَلُوهُمْ إِنْ كانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ‌ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا فَعَلُوهُ وَ مَا كَذَبَ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A peace maker is not accused of lying’ and then he read the following verse of the Holy Quran: . O people of camel, you are thieves.’ (12:70) Then he said, ‘By Allah, they did not steal and he (Joseph) did not lie.’ Then he read the following verse: ‘. . . in fact, it is the large one