Honesty
HONESTY
“A dishonest person has no faith” [Hadith}
Honesty
Honesty means not to speak a lie, cheat or steal in whatever we say or do.
To be honest is a good deed and action.
HOW IBLIS WAS DISHONEST
Allah first made Sayyidina Adam. He then made Sayyida Hawwa. Allah gave them Jannah and told them not to go near a certain tree nor eat a fruit from the tree. Sayyidina Adam and Sayyida Hawwa were very happy in Jannah. This made IBLIS, the shaytaan very, very jealous.
He tried many times to make them go near “that tree” but failed. One day he lied to Sayyidina Adam and Sayyida Hawwa by telling them they ate the fruit from that tree they would become like angles and live forever. They believed Iblis and ate the fruit from the tree.
Allah became unhappy with them and took them out of Jannah and put them on earth. Sayyidina Adam and Sayyida Hawwa asked Allah to forgive them and he forgave them.
In the same way, Iblis will try to make us do wrong deeds. But, bear in mind that Allah is watching us all the time. He knows everything that we think, do or say.
When we obey Allah, He will be pleased with us. 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
When we disobey Allah, Iblis (Shaytaan) is pleased with us and Allah is displeased (unhappy) with us.
We must try to be honest in everything that we do. We must be honest at home, school, madrasah, at work or when were with other people. Even a little lie or a small act of stealing or cheating is being dishonest.
Remember! One lie leads to telling many lies.
AN EXAMPLE OF BEING DISHONEST.
A pupil sometimes cheats in examinations or tests by copying another pupil’s answers or by hiding a book under the desks.
If he is not caught me may get high marks and will steal the first position from another pupil who had worked hard to come out first.
Like a thief, he hopes to get something for nothing. This is wrong and is bad behaviour.
Allah tells us in the Qur’aan in Surah Taubah, Surah 9 Verse 119
“O! You who believe! Fear Allah and be with those (in the company of) who are true (in words and action) 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
OUR BELOVED PROPHET (MAY ALLAH BLESS HIM AND GRANT HIM PEACE) AND HONESTY
Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) showed us how to be honest by his behaviour and actions.
He was always honest and truthful as a businessman, as a leader, and in everything that he did. Everyone in Arabia knew of his honesty. Through his honest and fair dealings, he was trusted and respected.
He became known as:
1) AL-AMEEN (The Honest)
2) AS-SAADIQ (The Truthful)
It was because of its honesty that even non-believers asked him to keep their important and valuable items for them. The non-believers of Makkah called him many bad names, but they never called him a liar.
When Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gathered all the people at aunt Safa and asked them: “O Quraish! If I say that an army is advancing towards you from behind the mountains, will you believe me?”.
All said in one voice, “Yes, because we have never heard you telling a lie.”
He always followed the commands (orders) of Allah and never allowed Iblis (shaytaan) to lead him on the wrong path.
Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the perfect example given to us by Allah to follow 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
Like Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), we too must try and lead an honest life.
HOW DOES BEING HONEST HELP US?
1) Honest people are respected and trusted by everyone.
2) Parents are happy when they know that their children are honest.
3) Teachers are pleased with pupils that are honest.
4) Owners of shops or factories are happy to employ (give work to) to people who are honest.
Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):
“A dishonest person does not have any faith”
SAYED ABDUL QADRI JILANI (Ghous-e-Paak)
Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani was born in the village of jilan in Iraq.
His father passed away when he was young and his mother, who was a very pious lady brought him up. She taught him Tahdhib and told him to be honest at all times.
When Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani grew up to be a young man, his mother decided to send him to the city of Baghdad for higher education (or learning). She saved 40 gold coins for him to take with.
To avoid the forty gold coins from being lost or stolen, she sewed them in the lining of his coat for safety.
In those days, people travelled in groups on camel back. These groups were called caravans. Syed Abdul Qadrij ilani also joined a caravan going to Baghdad. 5 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
On the way, a gang of thieves attacked the caravan and ordered all the people to hand over their money and goods.
Several thieves asked Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani if he had any money and he said “yes”. But somehow the thieves did not ask him where the money was, and that he should hand it over to them.
After robbing the people that were with the caravan, the thieves returned to their camp. While handing over the loot to the chief, one of the thieves mentioned that when he asked a young man that was with the caravan if he had any money, the young man told him that he did have.
On hearing this, the thieves that had questioned Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani said that they had the same answer from him. So, the chief to the thieves asked Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani to be brought to him. When he arrived, the chief asked him to show him where the money was.
When he showed him where his mother had hidden the forty coins, the chief and his gang where very surprised and asked why he was so foolish to show it to them.
Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani replied, that his mother had taught him to speak the truth at all times and he promised her to do so.
On hearing this, the chief felt ashamed. He said to himself that if this young man can be so obedient to his mother, then I must be obedient to Allah who created us and Who has asked all of us to be honest (not to steal, cheat or lie).
He immediately commanded his thieves to return everything that they had stolen from the people that were with the caravan and to take them safely to Baghdad. The chief and all his thieves gave up stealing and began to live lives of honesty and piety. 6 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
Sayed Abdul Qadri Jilani grew up to a very learned and pious man. He thought people to love one another and care for those in need.
He never spoke an unkind word to anyone, nor was he unjust or unfair in his life.