The path to righteousness

“Truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man will keep speaking the truth and striving to speak the truth until he will be recorded with Allah as a siddeeq (speaker of the truth). Lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hell fire. A man will keep telling lies and striving to tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.” [Agreed upon].
The above Hadith mentions two actions that will lead to two different paths, depending on what you choose. The first deed is saying the truth and trying your very best to implement truthfulness in your character. It will surely lead you to paradise. Not only that, but being in a state of honesty whether you say it with your tongue or show it in your actions, you will be recorded in the eyes of Allah as “As-siddeeq” which is a speaker of truth.
Analysing the word “siddeeq” it comes from the root word of “sideq” which means truth but it’s an exaggerated form, which states that a person is continuously saying the truth and striving to stay on that path. It reminds me of a verse that always leaves me in a state of shock and fear whenever I come across to recite it. Allah said in Surat Al-Ahzab Verse 8: “So that (He) Allah may ask the truthful about their truth”
If the truth teller will be asked about his truthfulness how about those who lie? This scares me a lot. Contemplating the position of the above verse is an eye opener, it came right after Allah mentioned and reminded our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) that he took a firm agreement from him and other prophets to convey the message and that which is true. The other deed is lying which leads to dishonesty and will only lead the person to hell fire.
Even worse than that, because we can be saved from the hell fire by the mercy of Allah, but to be recorded in the eyes of Allah as “A liar” is a great loss in this world and the one after. Then why do we lie? To get praise from the people? By Allah, those who you want to attain praise and sympathy from will no longer benefit you in the Day of Judgment. What will benefit one is returning to Allah with a pure heart that is filled with sincerity, truthfulness, and the desire to please Allah. There is another Hadith about the first three to be thrown into Hell on the Day of Resurrection. This is from Abu Hurayrah, who said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
‘Verily, the first to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who had died as a martyr. He will be brought forward. Allah will remind him of the favours He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. Then He will ask him: What did you do to express gratitude for it?’ The man will reply:I fought for Your Cause till I was martyred.’ Allah will say: You have lied. You fought so that people might call you courageous; and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell. Next a man who had acquired and imparted knowledge and read the Qur’an will be brought forward, Allah will remind him of the favours He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. Then He will ask him:What did you do to express gratitude for it?’ The man will reply: I acquired knowledge and taught it, and read the Qur’an for Your sake.’ Allah will say to him:You have lied. You acquired knowledge so that people might call you a learned (man), and you read the Qur’an so that they might call you a reciter, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell. Next a man whom Allah had made affluent and to whom Allah had given plenty of wealth, will be brought forward, Allah will remind him of the favours He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. He will ask him: What did you do to express gratitude for it?’ The man will reply:I did not neglect any of the ways You liked wealth to be spent liberally for Your sake’. Allah will say to him: `You have lied. You did it so that people might call you generous, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.”