The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 80
74 displeased with a person who is proved to have told a lie, and looks down upon him. But this natural inclination cannot be accounted a moral quality. Even children and the insane exhibit it. Unless a person discards those purposes which lead him away from telling the truth, he cannot be considered truthful. If a person tells the truth where no personal interest is involved, but is ready to have recourse to a falsehood where his honour or property or life is concerned, and fails to tell the truth, is no better than a child or an insane person. Do not the insane and minors speak such truth? There is scarcely anyone in the world who would tell a lie without any purpose. The truth that might be abandoned in order to escape some loss that threatens is not a moral quality. The proper occasion of telling the truth is when one apprehends loss of life or property or honour. In this context Divine teaching is: فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الأوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزَّور وَلَا يَأْبَ الشُّهَدَاءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُوا 98 وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا الشَّهَادَةَ وَمَنْ يَكْتُمُهَا فَإِنَّةَ أَثِم قَلْبُهُ وو 99b 97. Shun therefore the abomination of idols, and shun all words of untruth, (The Holy Quran, al-Ḥajj 22:31) 98. And the witnesses should not refuse when they are called. (The Holy Quran, al-Baqarah 2:283) 99. And conceal not testimony; and whoever conceals it, his heart is certainly sinful. (The Holy Quran, al-Baqarah 2:284)