from the prophets, the steadfastly truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous” (Qur’an 4:69). Thus anyone who diligently pursues truthfulness is recorded with Allah as a ṣiddīq. It is well known that ṣiddīqiyyah is a lofty station reached only by a rare few, and it is open to both men and women. The Almighty says, “The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger; other messengers passed away before him, and his mother was a steadfastly truthful woman” (Qur’an 5:75).

The foremost and most truthful of all ṣiddīqs is Abu Bakr—ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Quḥāfah—may Allah be pleased with him. When the Prophet ﷺ called him to Islam he accepted without the slightest hesitation, and he affirmed the Prophet’s truthfulness when his own people denied him. He believed him concerning the Night Journey and Ascension, whereas others said, “Muhammad, how can you travel from Mecca to Jerusalem and return in a single night, and then claim you ascended to the heavens? That is impossible.” They went to Abu Bakr and said, “Have you heard what your companion is saying?” He asked, “What has he said?” They replied, “He claims such-and-such.” Abu Bakr answered, “If he has indeed said that, then he has spoken the truth.” From that day he was called al-Ṣiddīq, may Allah be pleased with him.

Concerning falsehood, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Beware of lying.” The expression “Beware” serves as a warning: guard yourselves against lying. Lying is to convey something that contradicts reality, whether by word or by deed. So if someone asks, “What day is it today?” and you reply, “Thursday” or “Tuesday” while it is actually Wednesday, that is a lie because it does not match reality; today is Wednesday.