Sidq, truthfulness, is presented here as a single thread that, once pulled, draws the whole self toward goodness. Truth leads to righteousness and righteousness to Paradise, while lying drags a person down the opposite road, until one is recorded with Allah as either a lover of truth or a habitual liar. What begins as a habit of speech becomes, over time, the very shape of the soul.
These hadith widen truthfulness beyond honest words into honesty of state: giving up the doubtful for the clear, dealing truly in trade, and matching one's inner sincerity to one's outward claim, so that even the seeker of martyrdom who is truthful in his wish is granted its rank. The thread to follow is that Allah rewards the truthful heart, in worship and in the marketplace alike, and that sincerity is what He ultimately weighs.
Hadith 54
Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
فالأول عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إن الصدق يهدي إلى البر وإن البر يهدي إلى الجنة، وإن الرجل ليصدق حتى يكتب عند الله صديقاً، وإن الكذب يهدي إلى الفجور، وإن الفجور يهدي إلى النار، وإن الرجل ليكذب حتى يكتب عند الله كذاباً" ((متفق عليه)) .
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah. A man persists in speaking the truth till he is enrolled with Allah as a truthful. Falsehood leads to vice and vice leads to the Fire (Hell), and a person persists on telling lies until he is enrolled as a liar".' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Truthfulness leads to goodness and on to Paradise, while lying leads to wickedness and the Fire, and a person eventually becomes known to Allah by the habit they keep. What you repeatedly choose to be, honest or false, shapes your destiny.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 54 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 54
Hadith 55
Hasan bin 'Ali (May Allah be pleased with them) said:
الثانى: عن أبي محمد الحسن بن علي بن أبي طالب، رضي الله عنهما ، قال : حفظت من رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم : "دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك؛ فإن الصدق طمأنينة، والكذب ريبةٌ" ((رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن صحيح)) .
I remember (these words) from Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Give up what is doubtful to you for that which is not doubtful; for truth is peace of mind and falsehood is doubt". [At- Tirmidhi, who categorised it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].
In plain words
Leave what makes you uneasy for what sits right with you, because truth brings peace of mind while falsehood leaves you in doubt. A calm conscience is a sign you are on honest ground.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 55 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 55
Hadith 56
Abu Sufyan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported, in course of his detailed narration about Heraclius when the latter questioned him about the teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ) He said that:
الثالث: عن أبي سفيان صخر بن حرب ، رضي الله عنه، في حديثه الطويل في قصة هرقل، قال هرقل: فماذا يأمركم -يعنى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال أبو سفيان: قلت :يقول : " اعبدوا الله وحده لا تشركوا به شيئاً، واتركوا ما يقول آباؤكم ، ويأمرنا بالصلاة، والصدق، والعفاف، والصلة" ((متفق عليه)) .
He (ﷺ) told (us): "Worship Allah Alone and do not associate a thing with Him; and give up all that your ancestors said. "He also commands us to perform Salat (prayers), to speak the truth, to observe modesty and to strengthen the ties of kinship. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Among the Prophet's core teachings were to worship Allah alone, pray, speak the truth, be modest, and uphold family ties. Truthfulness stands alongside the central duties of the faith.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 56 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 56
Hadith 57
Abu Thabit from Sahl bin Hunaif (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
الرابع: عن أبي ثابت، وقيل أبي سعيد، وقيل أبي الوليد، سهل بن حنيف ، وهو بدري، رضي الله عنه، أن النبي ، صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: "من سأل الله، تعالى، الشهادة بصدق بلغه الله منازل الشهداء، وإن مات على فراشه" ((رواه مسلم)) .
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "He who asks Allah for martyrdom, Allah will raise him to the high status of the martyrs, even if he dies on his bed". [Muslim].
In plain words
Whoever sincerely asks Allah for martyrdom is raised to the martyrs' rank even if they die quietly in bed. A truthful inner wish can earn the reward of the deed itself.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 57 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 57
Hadith 58
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
الخامس: عن أبي هريرة ، رضي الله عنه ، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "غزا نبي من الأنبياء صلوات الله وسلامه عليهم فقال لقومه: لا يتبعني رجل ملك بضع امرأة. وهو يريد أن يبني بها ولما يبن بها، ولا أحد بنى بيوتا لم يرفع سقوفها، ولا أحد اشترى غنما أو خلفات وهو ينتظر أولادها. فغزا فدنا من القرية صلاة العصر أو قريباً من ذلك، فقال للشمس: إنك مأمورة وأنا مأمور، اللهم احبسها علينا، فحبست حتى فتح الله عليه، فجمع الغنائم، فجائت -يعني النار- لتأكلها فلم تطعمها، فقال : إن فيكم غلولاً، فليبايعني من كل قبيلةٍ رجل، فلزقت يد رجل بيده فقال: فيكم الغلول، فلتبايعني قبيلتك، فلزقت يد رجلين أو ثلاثة بيده فقال: فيكم الغلول: فجاؤوا برأس مثل رأس بقرة من الذهب، فوضعها فجاءت النار فأكلتها، فلم تحل الغنائم لأحد قبلنا، ثم أحل الله لنا الغنائم لما رأى ضعفنا وعجزنا فأحلها لنا" ((متفق عليه)) .
"One of the earlier Prophets who was out on an expedition proclaimed among his people that no man should follow him who had married a woman with whom he wished to cohabit but had not yet done so, or who had built houses on which he had not yet put the roofs, or who had bought sheep or pregnant she-camels and was expecting them to produce young. He, then, went on the expedition and approached the town at the time of the 'Asr prayer or little before it. He then told the sun that both it and he were under command and prayed Allah to hold it back for them, so it was held back till Allah gave him victory. He collected the spoils and it (meaning fire) came to devour these, but did not. He said that among the people there was a man who stole from the booty. He told them that a man from every tribe must swear allegiance to him, and when a man's hand stuck to his, he said: "There is thief among you and every individual of your tribe must swear allegiance to me". (In course of swearing of allegiance,) hands of two or three persons stuck to his hand. He said: "The thief is among you". They brought him a head of gold like a cow's head and when he laid it down, the fire came and devoured the spoils. Spoils were not allowed to anyone before us, then Allah allowed spoils to us as He saw our weakness and incapacity and allowed them to us". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
An earlier prophet's army held back its spoils until a single hidden theft was confessed and returned. Honesty and clean dealing matter even when wrongdoing could stay hidden.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 58 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 58
Hadith 59
Hakim bin Hizam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that:
السادس: عن أبي خالد حكيم بن حزام. رضي الله عنه ، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " البيعان بالخيار مالم يتفرقا، فإن صدقاً وبينا بورك لهما في بيعهما، وإن كتما وكذبا محقت بركة بيعهما" ((متفق عليه)) .
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not separated; and if they tell the truth and make everything clear to each other (i.e., the seller and the buyer speak the truth, the seller with regard to what is purchased, and the buyer with regard to the money) they will be blessed in their transaction, but if they conceal anything and lie, the blessing on their transaction will be eliminated." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Buyer and seller who are truthful and open about a transaction are blessed in it, while concealing faults and lying drains away that blessing. Honesty in trade brings Allah's blessing; deceit removes it.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 59 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 59