Dhamm al-Kadhib - Min al-Samt wa Adab al-Lisan
- Author died
- 281 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Sanābil
Dhamm al-Kadhib - Min al-Samt wa Adab al-Lisan (The Dispraise of Lying - From "Silence and the Etiquette of Speech") is an ethical treatise attributed to the Baghdad-based scholar Ibn Abi al-Dunya (208–281 AH / 823–894 CE), compiled from prophetic traditions and early reports condemning untruthfulness .
Nature and Composition
The work is not an originally independent composition by Ibn Abi al-Dunya; rather, it represents a specific section extracted by its modern editor from his larger encyclopedic compilation on speech ethics, al-Samt wa Adab al-Lisan (Silence and the Manners of the Tongue) . In this standalone format, the text preserves Ibn Abi al-Dunya’s traditional hadith-based method, transmitting reports through sequential chains of transmission (isnad) without authorial commentary .
Content and Themes
The text opens under the heading "The Dispraise of Lying and Its People" (Dhamm al-kadhib wa-ahlih) . It gathers texts regarding the spiritual, moral, and social consequences of deceit:
- Prophetic Warnings: Transmissions record severe warnings against falsehood, including the prophetic statement: إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْكَذِبَ، فَإِنَّهُ مَعَ الْفُجُورِ، وَهُمَا فِي النار ("Beware of lying, for it accompanies wickedness, and both are in the Fire") . It also cites traditions stating that persistent lying causes a person to be registered with God as a liar, and that mendacity is among the core signs of hypocrisy .
- Companions' Statements: The collection documents reports from early authorities such as Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, emphasizing that habitual lying corrupts the heart and contradicts true faith .
- Early Ascetic and Moral Sayings: The work transmits observations from the Successors and early figures, including al-Hasan al-Basri, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, and Iyas ibn Mu'awiyah, detailing how honesty anchors moral integrity while lying forms the foundation of deceit and spiritual downfall .
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