The word honest, truth in Arabic are have the same meaning with “ash-shidqu” or “shiddiq” which is real, true, right, frank, say the truth. Islam teaches its entire ummat to always be honest in every condition and forbids the nature of lies and its all attitudes of lies.
Honest or it is commonly said with the truth is one of a human nature that is difficult to implement in every condition because it came from our habitual since we were child. Here, the truth behavior can deliver people who do it to the successful both in the world even in the world after. In addition, honest is a mandatory nature that prophets must have.
Honest and be trusted are important natures which will have big impact in our daily activities like in household, working environment, commerce especially in community.
Still, the implementation both of the natures of honest and be trusted are not working smoothly. There are many people have lessen knowledge about the meaning of truth and trust. It can be seen from the attitudes or behavior which is different from the spoken which is caused of disaster to him and his surroundings. Allah SWT commandment,”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا الَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
“To all devout people, be godly to Allah SWT and say something only the truth.” (QS. Al-Ahzab:70)
There are 3 categories of honest;
- Honest in words (spoken) : Corresponding between reality with words or spoken and keeping the promises which have spoken.
- Honest in attitudes or behaviors : Corresponding reality between spiritual and inward without exaggerate in behavior.
- Honest in intention and desire: It has closest relation to heartfelt and it is the highest honesty whereas our each word and deed are being done because of Allah SWT and known by Allah SWT.
Here are the virtues of having the nature of honest;
- Feel tranquil and have peace in heart
Those who already used to be honest in most of their deeds in daily activities will have no fear and burden with their honesty. It has contradiction with those who are lies which are frightened and worried with their lives.
2. Get more love and more blessed from Allah SWT
We must realize and have faith that each word and deed that we have been doing both of good or bad are being recorded by Allah SWT. Therefore, we are encourage to do something in heartfelt and because of Allah SWT also hoping reward from Allah SWT only.
3. Deliver ourselves to the goodness and guarantee of getting heaven from Allah SWT
Rasulullah SAW said,”
“Indeed, honesty will deliver you to the goodness and goodness will deliver you to the heaven, and lies will deliver you to sin and sin will deliver you to the Hades.”(HR. Bukhari-Muslim).
The message is clearly said that we are encouraged to do all of His commandment and avoid of all His forbids so that we can learn to be honest to our selves indirectly which are bring goodness to our selves. [AdSense-B]
4. Liked by all human and have many friends
Honesty has a close relation with trust that cannot be separated. In fact, both of honest and trust are highly need in marriage relationship, friendship even work environment.
Being honest in behavior and spoken will make someone easily accepted in society because all of his spoken and deeds are based on reality and the truth and so it make his surrounding feel comfort and trust to have him around.
5. Increase someone to the highest level and honorable
Humans have the highest status among of Allah SWT other creatures because of their deeds. Their faith and godly to Allah SWT are the things that make every human is different from other human because it consists the nature of honest or the truth.
Both honest in words and deeds as of Allah SWT commandment will be rewarded by Him that is a higher lever and honorable place both in the world and afterlife.
Rasulullah SAW said, “Those who are asking honestly to die in martyred condition (then when he died), he is classified as martyr even when he was died on the bed.” (HR. Muslim)
6. Bring abundant blessings and great rewards
Honestly can be say as the key of the success, happiness and peaceful that every Muslim must have. In fact, as a Muslim we are obliged to implement the nature of honest to children since earlier ages so in the future they can be success in wading through the life like household, friendship, work environment even commerce. [AdSense-A]
“To all devout people, be godly to Allah SWT and say something only the truth, Allah SWT will certainly rectify all of your deeds and give mercy to all your sins. Those who are be faithful to Allah SWT and His prophets, indeed, he is already got a big victory.” (Al-Ahzab:70-71)
7. Bring confidence
Honest will make us more confident in giving information or motivation to others without being worried the information given because all of the information given is based on the fact.
وَ قُلْ لِّـعِبَادِيْ يَـقُوْلُـوا الَّـتِيْ هِيَ اَحْسَنُ، اِنَّ الشَّيْطنَ يَنْزَغُ بَـيْنَـهُمْ، اِنَّ الشَّيْطنَ كَانَ لِلإِنــْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِـيْنًا. الاسراء
“And it is said to all My ummat,” They shall say something better (true). Indeed, the devil likes to create dispute in between. The fact is devil is the real enemy for all human kind.” (Al-Israa’:53)
8. Survive from the danger and the doom
Honest in words and deeds and being in good social environment will keep us away from the danger and disgraceful attitudes. It will increase the trust from others to us because the nature of honest that we have.
Allah SWT commandment,”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ
“Dear devout people, be godly to Allah SWT and shall you be surrounded with the honest people.” (QS. At-Taubah:119)
9. Get welfare and safety
One of the ways in getting salvation in doom is by saying the truth both in words and deeds. Rasulullah SAW said, “
عَلَيْكُمْ بِالصِّدْقِ فَاِنَّهُ مَعَ الْبِرِّ وَهُمَا فىِ الْجَنَّةِ
“You must say the truth because indeed its close together with the goodness and both of it are inside the heaven.” (HR. Ahmad, Bukhari, dan Ibnu Majah)
10. Be spared of hypocrisy
Honest can avoid us from pretending of lies. As Rasulullah SAW said, “
آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلاَثٌ إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ.
“There are three signs of hypocrite people, which are; when he talks he lies, if he promises he broken it, when he was trusted, he was betrayal.” (HR. Bukhari-Muslim)
11. Become a good role model
Honest will lead dignity and deference of someone into higher level so others will not despise to us even despicable. Surely, the best role model that we can implement it in our daily activities is from Rasulullah SAW.
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا
“Indeed, there is the best role model (himself) from Rasulullah SAW which is good for you that hoping (bless) of Allah SWT and (comes) the doomsday and he dizkr to Allah SWT. (QS. Al-Ahzab:21).
12. Teach us to be more patient and steadfast
Honest will slowly teach our mentally to be more sincere and patient because we are doing based on reality and say only the truth. Still, the nature of being honest is not always have a good response for others, in fact, there are mostly caused of hostility or uncomfortable in a society.
Here is the condition that makes us to be more patient facing the situation because the difference of our nature. When others cannot accept and comfortable with our honesty, we are expected to stay firmly and heartfelt with our honesty, because we knew that it will bring to the goodness.
13. Get granted that our pray will be granted with Allah SWT
Allah SWT likes with honest people and He granted to always help His ummat in various ways. His prayer will always be granted by Allah SWT because of his Godly. As Allah SWT commandment,” Those who are godly to Allah SWT, Allah SWT certainly will always give solutions and give sustenance from unpredictable ways. Those who are godly to Allah SWT, it is certainly will get simplicity in doing his business.” (QS. Ath-Thalaq:2-14)
14. Bring goodness for himself and others
The nature of honest is not as easy do to it as we thought. It is a kind of habitual from we are child continuous to adult that is directly slowly character building. Honest can make others trust us more and it can help us to assist others problem as of our best.
15. Bring confidence
Being honest with ourselves will teach us to be brave in expressing something based on the reality or the truth without worrying of being mistakes or afraid of we said. It is also practice our mentally which is our heart strength and patience because what we are doing and believed are something for good.