By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
Praise be to Allah, who created man and taught him eloquent speech. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger—the one who spoke only truth.
Dear brothers and sisters! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and guard your tongues and pens. Today, we live in an era of unprecedented noise. Information moves at the speed of light. With a single click, tap, or breath, a word can travel across the globe. Yet, as Muslim belivers, Islam demands that we be people of deliberation, not impulse. Look around you today. There are individuals who consider themselves “informed” “storytellers” “facebookers” “ticktokers” “bloggers” etc. They hear a rumour in the market, they see a post on social media, they overhear a whisper in a gathering, and their tongues and pens burn until they can pass it on. They say, “I am just telling you what I heard!” But Allah Almighty asks us in the noble Qur’an:
“O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” [Qur’an, 49:6]
Remember, reapected brothers and sisters! When you pass on unverified news, you are not an innocent bystander. You are an active participant in spreading a lie. You are damaging reputations, breaking families, and sewing discord in the Ummah. If your ears have no walls, and your mind has no filter, your tongue and pen has no honour.
Know that true maturity and true faith (Iman) are tied to restraint. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Fellow servants of Allah! If you see a person who must always be the first to share, who cannot hold a secret, who treats every rumour as breaking news—know that they have compromised their truthfulness. Distance yourself from their speech, and do not let your ears become a dumping ground for their unverified tales.
Ya Allah, purify our hearts from hypocrisy and our tongues from falsehood. Ameen.
Dear brothers and sisters! In a small village, there lived a man named Tariq. Tariq was not a malicious man, but he possessed a dangerous flaw: he was addicted to being the center of attention. Whenever someone whispered a secret or shared a piece of news or informations, Tariq’s eyes would light up. He would run to the marketplace, gathering crowds, saying, “Listen to what has happened!”
One day, an old Islamic scholar named Sheikh Zain noticed the chaos Tariq’s words were causing. A marriage had nearly broken because Tariq repeated a misheard conversation. A businessman’s reputation was ruined because Tariq passed on a rumour of bankruptcy.
Sheikh Zain called Tariq to his study circle and handed him a beautifully carved clay pot. “Fill this with water from the well,” the Sheikh instructed. Tariq complied, bringing back a full pot. The Sheikh then took a small hammer and tapped the bottom of the pot, creating dozens of tiny, microscopic hairline cracks. Water began to seep out, dripping steadily onto the floor. “Now,” the Sheikh said, “fill it again and carry it to the edge of the village without spilling a single drop. “Tariq laughed nervously. “Respected Sheikh, that is impossible! Look at it. It has too many holes. By the time I walk a few steps, the water will be gone.” The Sheikh looked deeply into Tariq’s eyes. “This pot is your mind, Tariq. And the water is the truth. Because you have cracked your character with the desire to repeat everything you hear, you cannot hold onto the truth. It leaks, it distorts, and it turns into a muddy mess by the time you carry it to others. A vessel that cannot hold what is poured into it is useless. A man who cannot hold what he hears is a liar.” Tariq wept, realising that his need to speak had drained him of his trustworthiness. From that day on, he swore to practice As-Samt—the beautiful Islamic art of silence.
Why do people narrate everything they hear? Spiritually, it stems from a lack of Allah-consciousness, Taqwa, and an abundance of pride or the desire for social validation. To be the person who “knows things” gives a fleeting sense of power.
However, Islam recognises human nature: human speech is naturally flawed. People mishear, they exaggerate, they misinterpret context, and they inject their own biases into stories. Therefore, if you repeat 100% of what you hear, and 10% of what you hear is naturally distorted, then 10% of what you speak is a direct lie.
In the court of Islamic ethics, you are responsible for the downstream effects of your words. Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RA) famously said:
“Beware of speaking too much, for it is sufficient sin for a man to speak about everything he hears.”
When you encounter someone who acts as a human echo chamber, protect yourself using the Three Prophetic Filters: Is it true? Have you witnessed it or verified it with absolute certainty? Is it good? Does sharing this bring benefit, peace, unity, or healing to the Ummah? Is it necessary? Will silence cause harm, or is speaking merely satisfying an egoistic urge?
If a person cannot filter the world before speaking to it, their intellect is incomplete. Be the place where rumours come to die, not the engine that keeps them alive. Guard your tongue, protect your peers, and remember that silence in the face of uncertainty is a crown of dignity.
Respected brothers and sisters! The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“It is enough of a lie for a person to narrate everything that they hear.”
This Prophetic Hadith was narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). And its authentic (Sahih) Hadith, recorded in the introduction of Sahih Muslim, Hadith no. 5]
People naturally hear a mix of truth, falsehood, rumours, and mistakes in daily life. If a person passes on every piece of news without checking its accuracy, they will inevitably spread falsehoods. A person does not need to invent a lie to be considered a liar. Simply repeating unverified claims makes them responsible for spreading untruths, even if they did not mean to fabricate the story. Lying in this context includes reporting something that did not happen the way it was told.
Our great religion, Islam, commands Muslim believers to verify news before passing it on. This is especially important for serious matters, public safety, and religious knowledge.
The above Prophetic Hadith serves as a strong warning against gossip, hearsay, and the modern spread of unverified information or digital rumours.
Therefore it is enough for a person to prove himself a liar when he goes on narrating whatever he hears.
When you repeat every piece of news or rumour without checking if it is true, you will end up spreading false information. Even if you do not mean to lie, passing on unverified claims makes you responsible for spreading falsehoods. This is because people naturally speak both truth and falsehood; repeating everything guarantees you will share some lies. Islam teaches us to be careful with our words. We must pause, verify facts, and look for reliable sources before sharing information with others.
Also this Prophetic Hadith serves as a powerful warning against sharing unverified news articles, dramatic statistics, quotes, or professional rumours online. Spreading untested claims on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, etc, damages credibility and spreads misinformation to a broad professional network.
To talk about everything or to repeat everything you hear is to guarantee yourself a place among the liars. In Islamic teachings, speech is not cheap; it is a sacred trust, an amanah, weighed on the scales of eternity. When a person becomes a mere megaphone for every rumour, whisper, and unverified piece of news they encounter, they strip away their own dignity and violate the core teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
The foundation of this reality rests on a profound and sharp warning from the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him):
“It is enough of a lie for a man to narrate everything he hears.” [Sahih Muslim]
This Prophetic Hadith does not say the person intends to lie. It means that the inevitable consequence of unchecked sharing is falsehood. Why? Because the world is filled with truth and fabrication, facts and illusions. If your filter is broken, you become a vessel for deceit.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.
If You See A Person Narrating Everything He Hear, Make Sure That He Is A Great Liar!
By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
Praise be to Allah, who created man and taught him eloquent speech. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger—the one who spoke only truth.
Dear brothers and sisters! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and guard your tongues and pens. Today, we live in an era of unprecedented noise. Information moves at the speed of light. With a single click, tap, or breath, a word can travel across the globe. Yet, as Muslim belivers, Islam demands that we be people of deliberation, not impulse. Look around you today. There are individuals who consider themselves “informed” “storytellers” “facebookers” “ticktokers” “bloggers” etc. They hear a rumour in the market, they see a post on social media, they overhear a whisper in a gathering, and their tongues and pens burn until they can pass it on. They say, “I am just telling you what I heard!” But Allah Almighty asks us in the noble Qur’an:
“O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” [Qur’an, 49:6]
Remember, reapected brothers and sisters! When you pass on unverified news, you are not an innocent bystander. You are an active participant in spreading a lie. You are damaging reputations, breaking families, and sewing discord in the Ummah. If your ears have no walls, and your mind has no filter, your tongue and pen has no honour.
Know that true maturity and true faith (Iman) are tied to restraint. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Fellow servants of Allah! If you see a person who must always be the first to share, who cannot hold a secret, who treats every rumour as breaking news—know that they have compromised their truthfulness. Distance yourself from their speech, and do not let your ears become a dumping ground for their unverified tales.
Ya Allah, purify our hearts from hypocrisy and our tongues from falsehood. Ameen.
Dear brothers and sisters! In a small village, there lived a man named Tariq. Tariq was not a malicious man, but he possessed a dangerous flaw: he was addicted to being the center of attention. Whenever someone whispered a secret or shared a piece of news or informations, Tariq’s eyes would light up. He would run to the marketplace, gathering crowds, saying, “Listen to what has happened!”
One day, an old Islamic scholar named Sheikh Zain noticed the chaos Tariq’s words were causing. A marriage had nearly broken because Tariq repeated a misheard conversation. A businessman’s reputation was ruined because Tariq passed on a rumour of bankruptcy.
Sheikh Zain called Tariq to his study circle and handed him a beautifully carved clay pot. “Fill this with water from the well,” the Sheikh instructed. Tariq complied, bringing back a full pot. The Sheikh then took a small hammer and tapped the bottom of the pot, creating dozens of tiny, microscopic hairline cracks. Water began to seep out, dripping steadily onto the floor. “Now,” the Sheikh said, “fill it again and carry it to the edge of the village without spilling a single drop. “Tariq laughed nervously. “Respected Sheikh, that is impossible! Look at it. It has too many holes. By the time I walk a few steps, the water will be gone.” The Sheikh looked deeply into Tariq’s eyes. “This pot is your mind, Tariq. And the water is the truth. Because you have cracked your character with the desire to repeat everything you hear, you cannot hold onto the truth. It leaks, it distorts, and it turns into a muddy mess by the time you carry it to others. A vessel that cannot hold what is poured into it is useless. A man who cannot hold what he hears is a liar.” Tariq wept, realising that his need to speak had drained him of his trustworthiness. From that day on, he swore to practice As-Samt—the beautiful Islamic art of silence.
Why do people narrate everything they hear? Spiritually, it stems from a lack of Allah-consciousness, Taqwa, and an abundance of pride or the desire for social validation. To be the person who “knows things” gives a fleeting sense of power.
However, Islam recognises human nature: human speech is naturally flawed. People mishear, they exaggerate, they misinterpret context, and they inject their own biases into stories. Therefore, if you repeat 100% of what you hear, and 10% of what you hear is naturally distorted, then 10% of what you speak is a direct lie.
In the court of Islamic ethics, you are responsible for the downstream effects of your words. Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RA) famously said:
“Beware of speaking too much, for it is sufficient sin for a man to speak about everything he hears.”
When you encounter someone who acts as a human echo chamber, protect yourself using the Three Prophetic Filters: Is it true? Have you witnessed it or verified it with absolute certainty? Is it good? Does sharing this bring benefit, peace, unity, or healing to the Ummah? Is it necessary? Will silence cause harm, or is speaking merely satisfying an egoistic urge?
If a person cannot filter the world before speaking to it, their intellect is incomplete. Be the place where rumours come to die, not the engine that keeps them alive. Guard your tongue, protect your peers, and remember that silence in the face of uncertainty is a crown of dignity.
Respected brothers and sisters! The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“It is enough of a lie for a person to narrate everything that they hear.”
This Prophetic Hadith was narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). And its authentic (Sahih) Hadith, recorded in the introduction of Sahih Muslim, Hadith no. 5]
People naturally hear a mix of truth, falsehood, rumours, and mistakes in daily life. If a person passes on every piece of news without checking its accuracy, they will inevitably spread falsehoods. A person does not need to invent a lie to be considered a liar. Simply repeating unverified claims makes them responsible for spreading untruths, even if they did not mean to fabricate the story. Lying in this context includes reporting something that did not happen the way it was told.
Our great religion, Islam, commands Muslim believers to verify news before passing it on. This is especially important for serious matters, public safety, and religious knowledge.
The above Prophetic Hadith serves as a strong warning against gossip, hearsay, and the modern spread of unverified information or digital rumours.
Therefore it is enough for a person to prove himself a liar when he goes on narrating whatever he hears.
When you repeat every piece of news or rumour without checking if it is true, you will end up spreading false information. Even if you do not mean to lie, passing on unverified claims makes you responsible for spreading falsehoods. This is because people naturally speak both truth and falsehood; repeating everything guarantees you will share some lies. Islam teaches us to be careful with our words. We must pause, verify facts, and look for reliable sources before sharing information with others.
Also this Prophetic Hadith serves as a powerful warning against sharing unverified news articles, dramatic statistics, quotes, or professional rumours online. Spreading untested claims on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, etc, damages credibility and spreads misinformation to a broad professional network.
To talk about everything or to repeat everything you hear is to guarantee yourself a place among the liars. In Islamic teachings, speech is not cheap; it is a sacred trust, an amanah, weighed on the scales of eternity. When a person becomes a mere megaphone for every rumour, whisper, and unverified piece of news they encounter, they strip away their own dignity and violate the core teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
The foundation of this reality rests on a profound and sharp warning from the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him):
“It is enough of a lie for a man to narrate everything he hears.” [Sahih Muslim]
This Prophetic Hadith does not say the person intends to lie. It means that the inevitable consequence of unchecked sharing is falsehood. Why? Because the world is filled with truth and fabrication, facts and illusions. If your filter is broken, you become a vessel for deceit.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.