It implies fabricating a tradition and then attributing it to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) or the Imams (a.s.). In the same way it is haraam to knowingly propagate a weak tradition. However if one is sure of the proper references then he can quote the tradition and attribute it to the Masoomeen (a.s.).
Traditions must be quoted with the chain of narrators
Numerous traditions are found in the books and one is not sure whether they are authentic or not. In this case one can give the name of the narrator and also provide the title of the book as reference. However one must be certain that the tradition is not against the Zururiyat-e-deen, (the necessities of Faith). If there is anything against the basics of the principles of religion it is most certainly a fabricated tradition. Similarly there must not be any sort of disrespect to the Masoomeen (a.s.), nor should the tradition be against reason. Lastly as a precautionary measure one must quote only from the reliable books.
The fifth Holy Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) has said:
"And do not quote (a tradition) except from a reliable authority, otherwise you will fabricate a great falsehood. And falsehood debases you (in the sight of Allah and His creatures)."
(Kashful Muhajja)
The Sermon of Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s.) to Harith-e-Hamadani also contains the following advice:
"Do not quote everything circulating among the common people. It suffices to be a falsehood."
(Nahjul Balagha)
Hence whenever quoting a tradition it is necessary to mention its source. Not a single word must be deleted or added, and not even a single word must be replaced, because in all such cases it would amount to attributing falsehood to the Masoomeen (a.s.).
The honourable Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is reported to have said:
"One who attributes something to me, which I have not said, shall sit in the Fire."
(Wasaelush Shia)
Aqa Noori writes in his book Daarus Salaam:
"A person came to Aga Muhammad Ali a pious scholar and author of the book Magame, and said:
"I dreamt that I am tearing at the flesh of Imam Husain (a.s.) with my teeth. What is the interpretation of this dream?"
Aga Muhammad Ali pondered a while and then said:
"You must be a preacher, relating the tragedies (Masaeb)."
The man replied in the positive.
Aga Muhammad Ali told him, "Either you give up this profession or quote only from reliable books."
Another similar anecdote is recorded in the book, Shifaus-sudoor. A preacher was reciting a majlis in the presence of Ayatullah Al-Haj Muhammad Ibrahim Kalbasi. He was saying that Hazrat Imam Husain (a.s.) said, "Zainab, O! Zainab."
Upon hearing this Ayatullah Kalbasi loudly exclaimed, "May Allah break your mouth! Imam (a.s.) did not say 'Zainab' twice, he had said it only once.
Relating the contents of the narrations
However it is permitted to render the import of traditions in ones own words but it is a must that the speaker should be well versed with the Arabic language and also be capable of understanding the usage. Thus, it is allowed to relate the contents of the tradition in ones own words.
When it is not disrespectful to the Masoomeen (a.s.), poetry could be rendered into prose and vice-versa. In the same way the past event could be quoted in the present tense. For example if one intends to say that, "a person came to Imam (a.s.) and said...." He could say, "a person comes to Imam (a.s.) and Imam (a.s.) tells him...." However, the audience should beaware that what is being related in the present tense has actually passed. In the same way if the traditions say that Imam (a.s.) has prohibited something, the speaker could say, "Imam (a.s.) said, 'Do not do it!'"
2. False oath and avoiding testimony
Another grade of falsehood is a false oath, false evidence and escaping from testifying in an Islamic court. This type of falsehood is also confirmed as a greater sin. Each one of these shall be described in detail in the following pages.
3. The evil effects of falsehood
To lie is surely a great sin, with obvious evil effects, due to the harm it can cause others. The more harmful a lie, the more serious is the sin associated with it. For example, a lie causing monetary loss is definitely less serious than the one that causes loss of a human life.
4. Lying in jest and pleasantry
Lying in jest is another kind of falsehood. For instance, telling a simpleton that, "A certain lady wants to marry you," or "that person has invited you for dinner tonight," when actually there is no truth in it. This type of falsehood is also haraam as proved conclusively from the traditions.
Certain Mujtahids opine that if something untrue is said in jest, and it is clearly understood to be a joke, then it is permitted. However, other Mujtahids regard even a falsehood in jest to be absolutely haraam, whether it is an apparent joke or not, as a precautionary measure. The traditions also confirm that lying even in jest is not permitted.
Total abstinence from lying
Hazrat Imam Zainul Abedin (a.s.) says,
"Avoid falsehood, whether it is small or big, in solemnity or jest."
(Al Kafi)
Hazrat Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said,
"No man can taste faith, till the time he completely forgoes lying, in solemnity and in jest."
(Al Kafi)
It is also related from Amirul Momineen (a.s.) that he said:
"There is no merit in falsehood, whether in seriousness or in jest. Do not even promise your child something if you do not intend to fulfill it. Certainly, falsehood leads man to sin (fearlessly) and (this) leads to the Fire."
(Wasaelush Shia)
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in his advice to Abu Zar Ghaffari (r.a.) says:
"O Abu Zar one who protects his private parts and his tongue shall enter Paradise. One who utters a small falsehood in company of people to make them laugh, that same lie shall take him towards Hell."
"O Abu Zar, woe be upon the one who speaks falsehood to make people laugh. Woe be upon him woe be upon him O Abu Zar. One who remains silent will obtain salvation. Then silence is a must for you (in place of falsehood). Not even the smallest lie should be uttered by you."
Abu Zar (r.a.) says that he asked,
"O Messenger of Allah, what is the repentance of the one who has intentionally spoken a lie?"
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied:
"The sin shall be erased by Isteghfar (seeking forgiveness) and by the five-times prayers."
(Wasaelush Shia)
The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) is quoted to have also said:
"Curse be upon the liar if he has lied in jest."
It is also narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) that he remarked,
"I guarantee a house in the best part of Paradise for one who refrains from a dispute even when he is on the right, and a house in the mediocre-grade area of Heaven for one who refrains from falsehood even in jest, and a house in the garden of Paradise for a person with the best morals."
(Khisaal)
Lying in jest is a sin but it is not a greater sin. However if this joke hurts the feelings of a believer or causes him physical harm or is an insult to him, it will be a greater sin.
Exaggeration is not falsehood
Common hyperboles in a conversation are not falsehood. For example after relating a certain thing one says:
"I have told you a hundred times!" Obviously, he has not repeated his statement a hundred times and it is also clear that by "hundred" he does not imply the figure "100"; but rather it means that he has said it a number of times.
Similarly other figures of speech are also permitted, especially in poetry.
No falsehood should be regarded as insignificant
It is commonly seen that when the host asks his guests to stay on for dinner or lunch, the guests say, "we are not hungry;" although in reality it is not so. Consequently it is a lie. People tend to ignore such lies and consider them insignificant. The traditions denounce them in unequivocal words, and their prohibition is clearly established in the Islamic law.
Asma Binte Umais says:
"On the first night of Ayesha's wedding, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) gave me a bowl of milk and told me to give it to the ladies. The women said, "we are not hungry." When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) heard this, He said:
"Do not bring together hunger and falsehood."
Asma asked the Prophet (s.a.w.s.),
"O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.), if we desire something but verbally refuse it, is it a lie?"
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said,
"Yes! Certainly every kind of falsehood is recorded, (in the scroll of deeds) even the smallest of the small lies is written."
(Safinatul Behaar)
If a person, just for the sake of formality, invites others,
"Please come, and visit us sometimes," when he actually does not desire so, it is not a lie. Because the word "come" is conditional and uncertain. It is neither a truth nor a falsehood. But it is better to refrain from such a show of politeness, because to say something which you do not mean is a sign of hypocrisy.
One day, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) was seated with his son Ismail when one of his followers arrived, saluted him and sat down. When the Imam (a.s.) stood up and walked towards the ladies portion, the man also followed till the door. Imam (a.s.) bid farewell to him from there. Later, Ismail asked his father, "Why didn't you invite him inside just for the politeness sake?"
Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said,
"It was not proper to invite him inside. I did not wish him to come inside. Neither did I wish that Allah should include me among those who say one thing and wish another."
(Behaarul Anwaar)
A False dream
One type of falsehood is that a person says:
"I dreamt such and such." Or attributes falsely a dream to someone else when it is not so. This is also falsehood.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) says that the worst types of falsehood are three:
1. To call someone as the son of someone other than his (real) father.
2. To relate a dream that one has not seen.
3. To say something which is not said by me.
One kind of falsehood is to relate folk tales, which are not based on reality but are considered true. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) says:
"The worst of the narrations is to narrate false history."
Falsehood in examples
Examples are used to explain, understand and remember some intellectual concepts. Sometimes, animals are shown as conversing among themselves. (For example, there is a poem by Allamah Iqbal where a squirrel advises the mountain to give up pride). Now everyone knows that such things are not possible so there is no risk of anyone having a misunderstanding. On the other hand they serve a useful purpose. Hence such examples are permitted. We find such types of examples in the narrations of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).
Moreover there are also narrations that prove the permissibility of explaining facts and truthful concepts through the media of stories and anecdotes.
Imam Hasan (a.s.) mentions a simile
Hazrat Imam Hasan (a.s.) was in the court of Muawiya when a man said something uncivil about Imam (a.s.). Imam Hasan (a.s.) replied:
"O Umar Ibne Uthman! How stupid is your nature that you cannot understand. Your simile is like the mosquito that considered itself great. It perched on a date palm and when it took off in the air it said to date palm,
'Be careful! I am about to land on you once more.'
The tree replied, 'I don't even know since when you had perched upon me, so how can your flying away affect me?'
Listening to a lie is haraam
It must be known that just as it is haraam to speak falsehood, it is also haraam to listen to it while knowing that it is a lie. And just as it is haraam to read or write falsehood, it is also haraam to quote a lie. The Quran has denounced the Jews and the polytheists for spreading untrue things. It is said regarding them,
"(They are) listeners of a lie."
(Surah Maidah 5:42)
Shaykh Sadooq (r.a.) has recorded that Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) was asked,
"Is it allowed to listen intently to a liar?"
Imam (a.s.) replied,
"One who listens intently to a speaker, worships him. If the speaker is (speaking) from Allah the listener has worshipped Allah. But if the speaker is (speaking) from Satan the listener has worshipped Satan."
A similar kind of tradition is recorded from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) in the book Al Kafi.
The Quran says,
"...and avoid false words."
(Surah Hajj 22:30)
And also,
"And they who do not bear witness to what is false..."
(Surah Furqan 25:72)
These types of verses confirm the impermissibility of listening to falsehood. When a liar is speaking a lie which is a great sin, the place where he commits this sin becomes a place of divine wrath and the listener shall also be included in it.
From the aspect of Nahy Anil Munkar (Forbidding Evil) also, it is wajib to restrain the liar from speaking falsehood.
source : GREATER SINS by Ayatullah-ul-Uzma Sayed Abdul Husain Dastghaib Shirazi (r.a.)
