Misinformation and Lies
Image – Hadith Resources: Lying on Rasoolullah
Spreading lies and misinformation is dangerous for society, among which are forwarded messages which if circulated without references and without cross verification could land us in hellfire:
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) says in Surah al-Hujurat, Chapter 49: Verse 6 to verify the news before taking any action and then be sorry:[1]
O you who believe! if a transgressor comes to you with (some) news, then verify it, lest you harm a people in ignorance then become sorry for what you did.
So it is mandatory that we check the information before forwarding on social media, as instructed by the above verse of the Holy Quran, in a Hadith Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْه) says that if we convey everything that we hear, it is as if we are lying:[2]
It is enough of a lie for a man that he narrates everything he hears
We must stop this chain of forwarded messages, verify them, and you will find that most of the messages do not have any basis, it is what people have heard and they are spreading it. According to the above hadith, we are part of the lies that is being spread. And if such lies are related to the prophet, then know that it is a recipe for disaster:
Narrated Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْه) that Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:[3]
Whoever lies upon me intentionally, then let him take his seat in the Fire.
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-Aas (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُما) that Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:[4]
“Convey from me even an Ayah of the Qur’an; relate traditions from Banu Israel, and there is no restriction on that; but he who deliberately forges a lie against me let him have his abode in the Hell.”
One might think that relating a hadith is a good deed, how come one can lie about the prophet, the following narration clarifies that narrating a hadith is a very sensitive matter:
Muhammad bin Yahyā bin Sa’īd al-Qattān, on authority of his father, he said:[5]
We do not see the righteous more false in anything than they are regarding Ḥadīth.
Based on the above, it is important for each one of us to stop forwarding messages without verifying them.
References
[2] Yahyā bin Yahyā narrated to us, Hushaym informed us, on authority of Sulaymān at-Taymī, on authority of Abī Uthmān an-Nahdī, he said, Umar bin ul-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘It is enough of a lie for a man that he narrates everything he hears’.
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رضى الله تعالى عنه بِحَسْبِ الْمَرْءِ مِنَ الْكَذِبِ أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ .
Reference: Sahih Muslim Introduction 9
[3] Muhammad bin Ubayd il-Ghubarī narrated to us, Abū Awānah narrated to us, on authority of Abī Hasīn, on authority of Abī Sālih, on authority of Abū Hurayrah, he said, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, said: ‘Whoever lies upon me intentionally, then let him take his seat in the Fire’.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْغُبَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَىَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ” .
Reference: Sahih Muslim 3
[4] ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Convey from me even an Ayah of the Qur’an; relate traditions from Banu Israel, and there is no restriction on that; but he who deliberately forges a lie against me let him have his abode in the Hell.” [Al- Bukhari].
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “بلغوا عني ولو آية وحدثوا عن بني إسرائيل ولا حرج، ومن كذب علي متعمدًا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار” ((رواه البخاري)).
Reference: Riyad as-Salihin 1380
[5] Muhammad bin Abī Attāb narrated to me, he said Affān narrated to me, on authority of Muhammad bin Yahyā bin Sa’īd al-Qattān, on authority of his father, he said: ‘We do not see the righteous more false in anything than they are regarding Ḥadīth’. Ibn Abī Attāb said: ‘So Muhammad bin Yahyā bin Sa’īd al-Qattān and I met and I asked him about it and he said on authority of his father: ‘You will not see the people of good (Ahl ul-Khayr) more false in anything than they are regarding Ḥadīth.’ Muslim said: ‘He was saying that falsehood flows upon their tongues although they do not intend to lie’.
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَتَّابٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَفَّانُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ لَمْ نَرَ الصَّالِحِينَ فِي شَىْءٍ أَكْذَبَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْحَدِيثِ . قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي عَتَّابٍ فَلَقِيتُ أَنَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانِ، فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، لَمْ تَرَ أَهْلَ الْخَيْرِ فِي شَىْءٍ أَكْذَبَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْحَدِيثِ . قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ يَقُولُ يَجْرِي الْكَذِبُ عَلَى لِسَانِهِمْ وَلاَ يَتَعَمَّدُونَ الْكَذِبَ .
Reference: Sahih Muslim Introduction 40