TRUTHFULNESS IS THE FOUNDATION OF TRUST, AND TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH

Truthfulness gives us not only good character but also dignity, honour, self-respect, standing and the resolve to stand firm, never bowing for personal gain.  Every truth left unspoken for personal gain is a poisoned arrow lodged in both the individual and the collective conscience. As the wise saying puts it: “Whoever remains silent in the face of injustice is a mute devil!”

We become truly human and gain our humanity through right intentions, truthful words and right conduct. If, on this journey, our reason, will, conscience, morals, intentions, imagination, thoughts and actions are guided by what is right, then our path and our character will be right too. We can attain the freedom to be truthful and honest through our own choices and decisions, guided not by what others might say but by Allah’s pleasure. Honesty means steadfastly maintaining a truthful, responsible, sensitive, consistent and honourable stance in every circumstance and setting. That is why truthfulness and honesty are the foundation of trust, and trust is the foundation of faith.

It is easy to become truthful, but difficult to remain so. Our Lord says, “O you who believe! Live with an awareness of your responsibility towards Allah, and stand together with those who are true in both heart and word!” (Tevbe, 9/119). Why does He say “be with the truthful!” rather than “be truthful!” or “be among the truthful!”? WHY? We may be truthful, but if we are not together with truthful people, we cannot sustain our faithfulness and truthfulness. THE RIGHT COMPANY IS ESSENTIAL TO REMAINING TRUTHFUL. Being with truthful people ultimately means supporting ourselves as well as truthfulness and those who uphold it. It is as though we provide an atmosphere for one another.

Without our atmosphere, the sun would be a source not of life but of death for us. The atmosphere served as a protective environment and barrier for us, making life on earth possible. Just as the atmosphere has been a great protective shield for our biological existence,  we must also have a spiritual atmosphere in which we can nourish our reason, will and conscience, grow and find protection. That is why our beloved Prophet’s words, “A person follows the religion of their friend. So let each of you be mindful of whom you befriend.” (Tirmizî, 4/167, hadith no. 2378; Ebû Davud, 4/259, hadith no. 4833), draw particular attention to our surroundings and friends, who will form our atmosphere. We come into this world with the capacity to incline towards both good and evil. If we take bad people and bad conduct as our examples and are nourished by them, we become bad. If we take goodness, truthfulness, morality, responsibility, sensitivity, mutual help and empathy as our guiding values and are nourished by them, we will surely become good. Where will we acquire these qualities? From our mothers, fathers, relatives and neighbours, especially our teachers and religious teachers, and from the atmosphere of good, truthful and virtuous people around us.

A true friend is not someone who says YES to everything, but someone who stops us when we lie or do wrong. Nor is a friend someone we will follow no matter what, but someone to whose lies, wrongdoing and evil we can say STOP! A friend is someone who can always urge us to do what is right, and whom we can likewise urge to do right.

So let us have many acquaintances, but only one friend. Let us be sure to have a friend who will support and strengthen us in truthfulness and honesty… For “a person will be with those they love”, both here and there…

Nuri Çalışkan

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