Eloquence and fluency frequently lead their possessor to exaggeration and style polishing in a way that infringes objectivity and truthfulness. It was common among the Arabs that the finest poetry is the falsest.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was, despite His eloquence, truthful; it was not known that He lied in seriousness or jest. He was moderate; His speech contained no exaggeration or violation of objectivity. He said about Himself, And you would not have found me a miser, or a liar, or a coward.”
Even His enemies and those opposing Him, testified to His truthfulness. When Abu Sufian went to Syria – and before embracing Islam – he met Heraclius who asked him about Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Heraclius, via his interpreter, asked, “What about Muhammad’s noble descent?”
Abu Sufian answered, “He was of noble descent.”
Heraclius asked, “Were any of His forefathers a king?”
Abu Sufian said, “No.”
Heraclius said, “Did you accuse Him of lying before His mission?”
Abu Sufian said, “No”
Bearing witness to Muhammad’s truthfulness is not confined to Abu Sufian. Early in His mission, the leaders of His community testified to His truthfulness. Narrated Ibn Abbas (may All bless them both) that when the verse was revealed, “And warns, (O Muhammad), your closest kindred.” (Al-Shura: 214)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) mounted Assafa calling, “O Bani Fihr! O Bani Adi!”– addressing various tribes of the Quraysh till they were assembled. Those who could not come, sent their messengers to see what was there. Abu Lahab and other people from the Quraysh came and the Prophet then said, “Suppose I told you that there an (enemy) cavalry in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?”
They said, “Yes, for we have not found you telling anything other than the truth.”
Truthfulness in Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) speech was not limited to matters of religion and jurisprudence or broadcasting news, but He abode by truthfulness even in jesting with His companions. Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah bless him), “O Messenger of Allah, you joke with us?”
The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, I do not say but the truth.”
He even directed His companions to stick to truthfulness, even in jesting. Narrated Amamah (may Allah bless him) that Messenger of Allah said, “I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.”
He also admonished those who tell lies to arouse people’s laughter, “Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!”
As He abided by truthfulness in seriousness and jesting, He also did so in satisfaction and anger. Abdallah bin Amr (may Allah bless then both) narrated that he said, “O Messenger of Allah! Do you permit me to write all I hear from you?”
“Write! “The Prophet replied.
“At times of anger and at times of content?” Abdallah bin Amr asked.
Allah’s Apostle said, “Write! For indeed nothing has emerged from me except the truth!”
Laconic Speech
What is most influential in Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) speech is that we might call,’Iaconic speech’; that is, having big meanings in a few meanings as we have previously said. For instance, He comprised entire sciences in brief statements, as He did with that giant unique science of inheritance in Islamic law when He said, “Give the shares to those who are entitled to them, and what is left from those who are entitled to it goes to the nearest male heir.”
Many more examples can be cited like His saying, “(The value of) an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended.”
Muhammad (peace be upon him) appreciated this fault about Himself, but He did not ascribe to personal or intellectual ability, rather He attributed it to Allah who gifted and honored Him. He said, “I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning.”
Interpreters of the hadith explained concise, yet comprehensive words as those expressing abundance of significance and meaning.
His wife Aisha (may Allah bless her) described His speech as brief; she. said, “The Apostle of the Allah (may peace be upon him) gave a talk, a man could count it if he wished to count.”
Flawless Arabic Style and Exposition
Muhammad (peace be upon him) used a style at the peak of flawlessness and exposition that did not hinder the listener’s appreciation, For example, He used to repeat the word thrice. Anas (may Allah bless him) narrated, “Whenever Allah’s Apostle greeted somebody, he used to greet him three times, and if He spoke a sentence, He used to repeat it thrice.”
Also, He did not elaborate on His speech in a way that prevented the listener from appreciation, but rather, and as Aisha said, “The speech Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) was distinctive. It was not like people’s ordinary speech.”
