He Speaks Truth to Power

He Speaks Truth to Power

The spiritual man is fundamentally oriented toward truth, prioritising it above his own transient existence. For him, life’s value and purpose are defined by truth, an eternal reality that transcends the material world. This commitment to truth leads him to speak it, even in the face of power, regardless of the social or political consequences. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of faith.”²⁴³

His trust in God, the Ultimate Truth allows him to see through the veneers of falsehoods, including their mass appeal that clouds the judgement of others. Though this may render him socially or politically outcast, his focus remains on the Ultimate Reality, the Face of his Lord, which is his only purpose.

Acting by such knowledge makes him heir to a prophetic legacy of action and propagation. Those who know, then live by truth are lamps on this earth, moving between sheathes of darkness. They are the glowing effects of the prophets of Allāh, through whom He conveyed His covenant to man. Their

presence illuminates the paths of those who come near them. The Prophet ﷺ says:

“The learned are the heirs of the prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it, has in fact acquired an abundant portion.”²⁴⁴

Central to every messenger’s duty was his conveyance and transmission of the message of truth. The heirs of that legacy protract that duty; learning, conveying and proactively blotting out the murk of ignorance and misguidance whenever they encounter it:

“O Messenger! transmit what has been sent down to you from your Lord. If you do not do it, you will not have transmitted His Message.”²⁴⁵

The Prophet ﷺ further informs:

“Convey from me even a verse…” 246

The right of truth is for it to be imparted, not hidden or obscured. In Arabic, the word for ‘worthy‘ or ‘worthier’ (ahaq) derives from the word for ‘truth’ (haq). This implies that the truth is the worthiest pursuit and objective. Both appear in the following verse:

“Ask (them, O Prophet), ‘Can any of your associate-gods guide to the truth (al-haq)?’ Say, ‘(Only) Allāh guides to the truth.’ Who then is more worthy (ahaq) to be followed: the One Who guides to the truth or those who cannot find the way unless guided? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?”²⁴⁷

For one to refrain from imparting what is true, or worthiest for that moment, despite being able to, when such can rectify another person’s misguidance, resolve a schism or stand in the face of an injustice becomes tantamount to consent. One can only see their refraining a worthier (ahaq) endeavour if they first undermine or falsify that truth (haq) being concealed.

Truth is both clear and clarifying, and as its nature is to be imparted. It is like intense light which burns away the dusk. Thus, forcing it to stay concealed within oneself will brindle its holder with its unbearable heat. The Prophet ﷺ says:

“Whoever conceals knowledge Allāh will bridle him with reins of fire on the Day of Resurrection.”²⁴⁸

The deplorable behaviour of concealing truths, while the rest indulged in falsehoods was rampant among the followers of Judaism and their clergymen. Seeing themselves as exclusively God’s ‘Chosen People’, and fallaciously pinning this to some alleged genetic privilege, they absolved themselves from the need to salvage ‘other’ gentiles (non-Jews) from misguidance.

In effect, their saw themselves exclusively worthy of God’s mercy and absolution. This arrogant and cultish demeanour with the truth and their failing to share their knowledge with others, to guide them or speak truth to power brought about their corresponding removal from His Mercy, culminating in God’s curse (Arabic: la’nah):

“Those who hide the Clear Signs and Guidance We have sent down, after We have made it clear to people in the Book, Allāh curses them, and the cursers curse them.” 249

Some even cosied up to the authorities and earned abundant wealth by way of their consensual silence:

“They are people who listen to lies and consume ill-gotten gains…”²⁵⁰

They listened to lies silently, ‘samāʾūn’, failing to denounce the falsehoods they heard which forms the crux of why they were cursed. And though they were ‘listeners’ to lies – not heard speaking them, or necessarily known to be outright proponents of that falsehood, their silence spoke just as loud.

There is little doubt that they knew their silence, as people of scripture and knowledge, would deliver that effect without needing to openly profess falsehood. Had they spoken in support of falsehood, Allāh would have instead called them ‘mutakalimūn bil bātil’ or ‘speakers of falsehood’, but their silence was enough to make them culpable for the lies peddled by others. Much more can be said about contemporary pseudo-religionists who not only stay silent to falsehoods, but forge religious-sounding justifications for them.

Correspondingly, their consuming “ill-gotten gains” was to their earning by way of that silence or in today’s terms, compromised ‘scholars for dollars‘. Those who had reason to pay them off knew of their reformatory impact, as learned men, should they have spoken out. It also speaks volumes about what the peddlers of lies are prepared to offer in ‘hush-money’ and extortions to those who know the truth, in exchange for

staying quiet. In the modern day, this presents as one of the most abominable phenomena among learned men.

A group of them once approached the Prophet ﷺ seeking his judgement for two who had committed adultery:

“The Torah was brought, and then one of the followers of Judaism put his hand over the divine verse of the stoning to death and started reading what preceded and what followed it. On that, (the companion) Ibn Salām (rady Allāhu ‘anhu) said to him, ‘Lift up your hand.’ The Divine Verse of the stoning was under his hand.” 251

Notice how the man in question was cautious not to openly deny that the verse existed. Instead, by putting his hand over it, his actions were synonymous to promoting the falsehood in question.

“People of the Book! why do you mix truth with falsehood and knowingly conceal the truth?”²⁵²

The modern man, obsessed with the fleeting fortunes of this world, often excuses his silence by claiming it is more palatable

to the masses, or that speaking the truth would cost him his popularity, charisma, or mass appeal, as though the fate of the world depends on his approval ratings.

Others carefully tailor their religious messages around soft, palatable themes, only sharing what is well-known and already accepted (al-maʿrūf), familiar, or emotionally appealing while avoiding difficult truths that might disrupt their audience’s comforts and sensibilities.

Interestingly, many of these individuals are not outwardly compromised. They lead modest lives, drive cheap cars, and wear simple clothes. Yet their speech is meticulously calculated to preserve social capital. They forget, or ignore, that fame, applause, and crowd-pleasing are as much a worldly lure as money or status. In fact, many mistakenly believe that only money corrupts, failing to see that mass appeal is itself one of the most appealing currencies of the modern world.

Sufyaan al-Thawrī (rahimahu Allāh) profoundly says:

“Many are austere in their food and drink but compete over fame (or leadership) like two mules butting heads.” 253

Imām al-Thawrī’s words tell that being an ascetic is not by one’s mere abstinence from taking corporate gifts or large pay cheques or by wearing rugged clothes. Instead, the spiritual

man will speak the truth, because it needs to be spoken. And he is ever prepared to be austere not only with respect to money, but with respect to his presence, platform and audiences, seeing no reason to compete for these ultimately material gains.