The Sign of a Liar

In this post, I would like to point to an interesting tradition, which mentions one sign of a liar.  Once we know this sign, it will be much easier for us to distinguish liars from trustworthy individuals.

            Many of us may have perhaps encountered many knowledgeable people in different fields, who are more than willing to share their knowledge about various topics with us, and engage in deep discussions.  The breadth of their knowledge often mesmerizes the listeners and earns them much respect.  They accumulate fans via speaking powerfully and in-depth about topics that many if not most people find fascinating and intriguing.

            Many of these individuals may have one or more PhDs in various fields of knowledge, however, they remain quite oblivious of religious jurisprudence.  When you encounter such individuals know that they are liars.  They may lie to you and to themselves about what they know and about many other issues.

            Therefore, we must be cautious, and not let eloquent speech about fascinating topics soften our guards.  We must always be very careful from whom and from where we intake our knowledge about this world and the hereafter.

            A person, who cannot correctly tell you anything about the divine jurisprudence, cannot be fully truthful.  One very interesting question that we could ask ourselves at this point is, is there a link between knowing and following divine jurisprudence and the knowledge of other physical and metaphysical issues and topics? If so, what is this link?

            Now, without any further ado, here’s a related Authentic tradition.

           

Arabic Text:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِنَّ آيَةَ الْكَذَّابِ بِأَنْ يُخْبِرَكَ خَبَرَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَهُ عَنْ حَرَامِ اللَّهِ وَ حَلَالِهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ

Farsi Translation:

معاويه بن وهب گويد: شنيدم از حضرت صادق عليه السّلام كه ميفرمود: نشانه دروغگو اينست كه از آسمان و زمين و مشرق و مغرب خبر ميدهد، ولى آنگاه كه از حرام و حلال خدا از او بپرسى چيزى نزد او نيست كه پاسخ دهد.

English Translation:

Narrated by Mohamed Ibn Yehya from Ahmed Ibn Mohamed Ibn Eissa from Ibn Abu Nagran from Mo’awiya Ibn Wahb who said:

I heard Abu Abdullah (pbuh) say: “The sign of a liar is that he tells about everything in the heaven and on the earth, east and west but should you ask about what Allah has permitted and forbidden, he has nothing [to say.]”

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 340, Tradition #8