Fifthly, amongst the most important guidelines regarding the financial transactions is honesty. So, if the Muslim trader knows that Allaah The Almighty is always watching him and observe his acts, sees and hears him and that there are two angels on is right and left hands, recoding all of his actions and conducts. There is absolutely no doubt that it is a strong factor for fearing Allaah The Almighty in secret and open. One has to purify his transactions from all what may go against the religion of Allaah The Almighty and keep away from all what can tarnish his buying and selling and all of his transactions. Thus, one should not deceive, cheat, tell lies; rather, one should deal with Muslims and non-Muslims with all truthfulness and honesty.

Honest of the Muslim trader is really implies all good for him in this life and Hereafter. With his honest, he will please his Lord, Exalted and Glorified be He, and will please those people who deal with him. They will have trust in him while dealing with him, accept his words, rush to take his commodity, feel content to his measure, weight and prices. If he deals with non Muslims, then this will be a practical and truthful invitation for them to enter into the religion of Allaah The Almighty.

Muslim individual does this following in this the good example of the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, in this regard who is called Al-Ameen (i.e. the trustworthy).

Accordingly, Muslim individual while dealing with others should bear in mind the saying of Allaah The Almighty: {Indeed, Allaah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due…} [Quran 4: 58] and also the saying of Allaah The Almighty: {And if one of you entrusts another, then let him who is entrusted discharge his trust [faithfully] and let him fear Allaah, his Lord…} [Quran 2- 283].

Moreover, it was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The honest, truthful merchant will be with the Prophets, Siddeeqs (i.e. truthful people) and martyrs.” [Reported by At-Tirmithi who deemed it Hasan Marfoo‘ (good and traceable) Hadeeth].

Sixthly, This point is really a result of the above point. That is because if the Muslim individual knows that Allaah The Almighty is always watching him and is honest, then he must be truthful in his words, acts, promise and covenant.

Truthfulness is one of the attributes that Muslim individual has to have for Allaah The Almighty commanded adopting truthfulness and praised truthful people saying (what means): {O you who have believed, fear Allaah and be with those who are true.} [Quran 9: 119]. 

He, Exalted be He, also Says (what means): {…"This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness." For them are gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow,…} [Quran 5: 119].

The truthful are the people of Paradise. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “I urge you to be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man will continue to be truthful and seek to speak the truth until he is recorded with Allaah as speaker of truth (Siddeeq).” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari].

Dear reader, truthfulness has its great effect on Muslim individual in his dealings, buying and selling. It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The two parties engaged in a transaction have the choice of either going ahead with the transaction or canceling it, until they part. If they are open and honest, their transaction will be blessed for them, but if they conceal things and tell lies, that will destroy the Barakah (blessing) of their transaction.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari].

It was narrated that Rifaa‘ah ibn Raati‘, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “I went with the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, to the Musalla (i.e. place of prayer), and he saw the people doing business so he, peace and blessing be upon him, said: 'O people of trade!' and they replied to the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, turning their necks and their gazes towards him, and he, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Indeed the merchants will be resurrected on the Day of judgement with the wicked, except the one who has Taqwa (i.e. righteousness, piety, etc.) of Allaah, who behaves charitably and is truthful.” [Reported by At-Tirmithi with an authentic chain of transmission].

Imam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, also reported a Marfoo‘ Hadeeth in Al-Musnad from the Hadeeth of ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Shabal, may Allaah be pleased with him, who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, saying: “Traders are liars/immoral,” They said; O Messenger of Allaah! Has not Allaah The Almighty permitted trade? He, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Of course, but they take oaths and thus fall into sin, and they speak and thus lie.” [Al-Haakim deemed it Saheeh (authentic) Hadeeth].

Moreover, it was narrated that Qays ibn Abu Gharazah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “In the time of the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, we used to be called brokers, but the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, came upon us one day, and called us by a better name than that, saying: ‘O company of merchants, unprofitable speech and swearing takes place in business dealings, so mix it with Sadaqah (alms).”  [Reported by Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi with a sound chain of transmission and others].

In another variant wording of this narration, he, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “…swearing and lying...” and in a third one: “Unprofitable speech and lying ...”.

Actually, Muslim individual should never tell lies nor deal with lies, his permanent attribute should be truthfulness in his words and actions, buying and selling. Truthful person is honest and blessed before Allaah The Almighty and trustworthy before people.

Finally, we ask Allaah to make us truthful in words, actions, belief, conducts and manners, and to gather us and you with the Prophets, truthful, martyrs and righteous. 

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