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Story of a Truthful Young Boy and a Gang of Robbers
This is a story of a young boy who once departed on a journey for the pursuit of knowledge. His mother gave him forty dinars for expenses. She also made him promise that he would speak the truth under all circumstances.

Around Hamadan, a group of robbers intercepted the caravan. One of the robbers came to him and asked him what he had. He replied, “Forty dinars”. The robber did not take him seriously and left him alone. Another of them put the same question to him and again got the reply, “Forty dinars”. He got hold of him and took him to their leader who asked him the same question and then came the same reply, “Forty dinars”. He asked, “Who has compelled you to speak the truth?”

The young boy repeated to him the promise he had given his mother. On hearing this, the leader was overwhelmed with awe. He tore off his clothes as if he was mad and said, “You do not violate the pledge that you have given to your mother. Here am I, unmindful of the word I have given to the Almighty,the Exalted — I violate it and am not afraid in the least.”

Then ashamed and remorseful, he instructed his henchmen to return all that they had snatched from the caravan-riders. Then he said, “I repent to the Almighty at your hands”. He and All his associates repented and changed their lives.

This young boy was non other than the honourable Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(R.A.).

LESSONS:
Truthfullnes under any circumstances, certainly has it's merits; as illustrated by the above story.Lying is the worst of habits. We must check it strictly in ourselves and arouse in our children a dislike for lies. It is our duty to keep them away from the bad habits of lying and hypocrisy. Islam declares that lying is a sign of the hypocrite.(BUKHARI, MUSLIM).
A liar invites the wrath of Allah the Exalted, and His punishment.(MUSLIM).
A person who lies, often, is a habitual liar.(BUKHARI, MUSLIM).
The Holy Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has called lying a breach of trust.(ABU DAWOOD).

Therefore, create in OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN the hatred for falsehood and stop them from telling lies. Warn them of the harmful results of lying. Let us take the lead, be truthful ourselves and refrain from lying.

Do not tell lies even to quieten children or to encourage them to do something, otherwise they will become used to it. The result will be that they will no longer trust you. Then, sermon and advice will have no effect on them. Our foremost guardian, Our Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has cautioned us from telling lies even by way of jest or in encouragement or just for the fun of it. This will guarantee that not even one lie is recorded against our names with the Almighty. It is also a lie to tell a child, “Take, hold this!” without actually intending to give him anything! (AHMAD).

Author: Late Maulana Dr. Muhammad Habibullah Mukhtar
Original book in Arabic by Shaikh Abdullah Naseh Alwan.

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