The second category is to interpret Allah’s words in a way He never intended, for the whole purpose of speech lies in its meaning. Thus, when someone says, “Allah meant such-and-such by this verse,” he is lying about Allah, bearing witness on His behalf to something He did not will. If, however, a person strives to understand a verse and, despite his best effort, makes a mistake, Allah will pardon him, for He says, “He has not placed upon you in religion any hardship” (Q 22:78) and “Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity” (Q 2:286). But whoever deliberately explains the words of Allah contrary to their intended meaning—pursuing his own whims, seeking worldly gain, or the like—has lied about Allah.

A level below that is lying about the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: saying, “The Messenger said such-and-such,” when he did not. The same ruling applies to anyone who distorts the meaning of a prophetic hadith; he, too, has lied about the Messenger. The Prophet himself warned, “Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in the Fire.” In other words, whoever intentionally fabricates statements attributed to the Messenger has already settled into his seat in Hellfire—may Allah protect us.

These two forms of falsehood—lying about Allah and lying about His Messenger—are the gravest kinds of lying.

Those who lie about the Messenger of Allah more than anyone else are the Rāfiḍī Shīʿah. Among all the sects of innovation, no group surpasses them in fabricating reports attributed to the Messenger, as the scholars of hadith methodology have stated when discussing forged narrations, saying that