ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; Muʿṣab al-Zubayrī conveyed it to me; Mālik—meaning Ibn Anas—reported that it had reached him that ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿūd used to say:

“Hold fast to truthfulness, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. Beware of lying, for lying leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the Fire.”

He would also express it succinctly: “He told the truth and lived righteously; he lied and sank into sin.”