Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 21 False Testimony The Nineteenth Greater Sin: False Testimony
The Nineteenth Greater Sin: False Testimony
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Chapter 21
The Nineteenth Greater Sin: False Testimony
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According to the corpus of traditions false testimony is a Greater sin. It is also mentioned in the narration of Abdul AzÄ«m quoted from Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (a.s.). Similarly the tradition of Fazl Ibn ShazÄn includes it in the list of Greater sins as mentioned by Imam RiÄa (a.s.). That it is a Greater sin is also proved by the hadith of Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) as quoted by Amash. We have already mentioned in the chapter on “lying” that falsehood is a Greater sin. False testimony obivously is also a branch of falsehood.
In the tradition narrated by Hazrat Abdul AzÄ«m, Imam (a.s.) has proved the ‘greatness’ of not giving false testimony on the basis of the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:
“And they who do not bear witness to what is false....”
(Surah al-FurqÄn 25:72)
“...These shall be regarded with high places...”
(Surah al-FurqÄn 25:75)
In this verse the word ‘false’ signifies the action of proving a falsehood as though it were the truth.
Another verse says,
“...therefore avoid the uncleanness of the idols and avoid false words.”
(Surah Hajj 22:30)
The Holy Prophet (S) says,
“To testify falsely tantamounts to polytheism.”
It is mentioned in Tafsīr Abdul al-Fath Razi that the Holy Prophet (S) repeated this statement thrice and then quoted the above ayat (Surah Hajj 22:30)
A similar kind of tradition is recorded in Mustadrak ul-Wasa’il, from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.).
“In the Qur’an Allah has compared false testimony to polytheism.”
Allah (S.w.T.) mentions the avoidance of ‘uncleanness of the idols’ and ‘false words’ in a single verse, one after the other.
