Chapter IV: Poverty and Renunciation
One day, the Prophet was distributing the war booty gained in the battle of Hunain. Then a man came and said: O Prophet of God, a thing is due to me according to your promise. He said:
That is true, want what you wish. He wanted eighty goats and one goat man. The Prophet gave them to him and said: You have wanted little. Look, Hazrat Musa said to the woman for whose enquiry the backbone of Hazrat Jospeh was found: You will get what you want. The woman said: 'I want that my youth be restored to me and that I can live in paradise in the next world with you'. She was made an example in Arabia. The Prophet said:
If one has got the intention of fulfilling promise, it will not be broken if one proves another. In another narration: When a man promises with his brother and has got the intention to fulfil it but afterwards it is broken, he will not commit sin thereby.
(14) Falsehood. Another danger of tongue is false-speaking and false oath. These are great sins and heinous faults. In the first year of emigration, the Prophet said: Be careful of falsehood as it is the companion of the sinners and both will be in Hell. He also said: Falsehood is a door of hypocrisy. Hazrat Hasan Basari said:
The people say that there is difference in open and secret words and actions and entry into and going out of hypocrisy, but the sin on which hypocrisy is built is falsehood. The Prophet said: If you narrate to your brother such narration which he believes for you but which you do not believe for him, it will be an act of breach of trust. The Prophet said: A man is enrolled near God as liar if he is
1 06 The Book of Destructive evils VoI-HI
accustomed to false speaking and false discussions. The Prophet once was passing by two men. They were talking on sale of two goats and both were swearing. One of them said: By God, I will not sell it less than this price. Another said: By God, I will not give more than this price. One of them purchased the goat. Then the Prophet said: The sin of one of you has become compulsory. The Prophet said: Falsehood reduces provision. He said: The merchants are sinners, he was asked: O Prophet of God, has not God made trade lawful? He said: Yes, but the tradesmen commit sin by false oaths and speak falsehood.