Deception, technically speaking, is defined as "concealing
anything that, if known to the buyer, would cause him to dislike it," or
it is "mixing inferior goods with superior ones, such as when a person
obtains money through forbidden means, either by lying, concealing a defect in
the goods, undervaluing them, cheating in their weight, mixing superior and
inferior goods, and other forbidden methods." Deception and fraud take
many forms these days, including the deceitful practices of brokers who
embellish inferior goods and cheap merchandise, thus enticing people to buy
them and misleading them with false promises; deception in food products such
as bread, cooked goods, lentils, and roasted meats; and deception in clothing
made of cotton, wool, synthetic materials, or other substances, or in any other
industry. Among the forms of deception is the deception of the flock towards
the shepherd by praising and flattering him for deeds and achievements he did
not perform and by failing to advise him in a manner befitting his position.
Another form is the deception of the shepherd towards his flock by oppressing
them and failing to fulfill his obligations in a way that pleases God. Also
included is the deception of parents towards their children in their
upbringing, by neglecting them and failing to discipline them, claiming that
they are honoring them when in fact they are humiliating them, and that they
are showing them mercy when in fact they are oppressing them. Other forms of
deception that neither God, His Messenger, nor just people would approve of
include bearing false witness, deception in speech and advice, and deception in
the pursuit of knowledge, such as cheating in exams to obtain certificates that
enable them to occupy positions they do not deserve, thus leading the nation to
ruin, backwardness, and destruction. Failure to fulfill contracts, such as
construction, contracting, sales, and commercial contracts, and others.
The Holy Quran contains verses that condemn and prohibit
deception, as in the words of God Almighty: “And those who came after them say,
‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put
not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are
indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.’” (Surah Al-Hashr: 10). The word
“resentment” (ghil) has two meanings: deception and enmity (Al-Mawardi), and
deception, envy, and hatred (Al-Baghawi). The Quran also contains verses that
command the fulfillment of trusts, as in the words of God Almighty: “Indeed,
Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and, when you judge
between people, to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you.
Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.” (Surah An-Nisa: 58). Trustworthiness
includes a person’s trustworthiness with others, such as returning deposits
(money and knowledge) to their owners, refraining from deception, keeping
secrets, and so forth. The Qur’an also warned against treachery in the words of
God Almighty: “So because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and
made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places
and have abandoned a good part of the message that was sent to them. And you
will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive
them and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun
(good-doers—see V. 2:112).” (Surat Al-Ma’idah: 13). Treachery means deceiving
the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace (Al-Wahidi), and that we
should not take false oaths to pass off deceit and treachery in the words of
God. Almighty: “And make not your oaths a means of deception among yourselves,
lest a foot may slip after being firmly planted, and you may have to taste the
evil (punishment in this world) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah
(i.e., belief in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad SAW), and
yours will be a great torment (i.e., the Fire of Hell in the Hereafter).”
(Surat An-Nahl: 92). "Deception" and "treachery" mean
deceit, treachery, and malice (Al-Wahidi and Al-Mawardi). God also gave glad
tidings to His believing servants of the purity of their hearts in Paradise,
free from malice—that is, deceit and hatred (as Al-Sam'ani stated)—in His
Almighty words: "And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual)
hatred or sense of injury (which they had, if at all, in the life of this
world); rivers flowing under them, and they will say: "All the praises and
thanks be to Allah, Who has guided us to this; never could we have found
guidance, were it not that Allah had guided us! Indeed, the messengers of our
Lord did come with the truth." And it will be cried out to them: "This
is the Paradise that you have inherited for what you used to do." (Surah
Al-A'raf: 43).
Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) condemned
and forbade deceit, as narrated by Abu Hurairah (may God be pleased with him):
"The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a pile
of food and put his hand into it, and his fingers became wet. He said, 'What is
this, O owner of the food?' He replied, 'It was rained on, O Messenger of God.'
He said, 'Why didn't you put it on top of the food so that people could see
it?'" “Whoever deceives is not one of us,” (Narrated by Abu Hurairah;
Source: Sahih Muslim), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“There is no servant whom Allah entrusts with a flock, who dies on the day he
dies while being deceitful towards his flock, except that Allah will forbid
Paradise for him,” (Narrated by Ma’qal ibn Yasar; Source: Sahih al-Jami’), and
he said: “Whoever buys a sheep that has been left unmilked (a sheep that has
been left unmilked for days until its udder is full, so the buyer thinks it is
a high-yielding animal and increases its price, and then after milking it he
discovers its defect, thus having bought it for more than it is worth), If the
seller has deceived and wronged the buyer, he has three days to return the
item. If he does so, he must return a measure of food, not wheat (which is
called "samra'"). (Narrated by Abu Hurairah; Source: Sahih Muslim).
These hadiths prohibit cheating among Muslims and between them and those whom
God has entrusted with some of their affairs and placed in charge of them. They
also indicate that cheating is a major sin that leads to hellfire and distances
one from paradise.
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