In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Treat Others In The Manner You Love to Be Treated! When You Make This Statement, Make Sure That You Are The First to Act Upon It -Neither Evading Nor Utilising Trickery to Deceive Listeners

Abdullah Bin Amr [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported that the Messenger of Allaah [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] said, “Whoever would love to be delivered from Hellfire and admitted into Paradise, let him meet his end whilst believing in Allaah and the Last Day, and let him treat people as he would love to be treated.” (1)

Imaam An-Nawawi [rahimahullaah] said: “This is from the Jawaami al-Kalim of the Prophet [i.e. precise speech with a comprehensive meaning] and his amazing wisdom. It is obligatory to pay close attention to this important principle and that a person must not deal with the people except in a way he loves to be dealt with”. (2)

Al-Haafidh Ibn Haafidh Ibn Hajr [rahimahullaah] said: “Diverting from the truth and playing tricks to reject it; what is intended is that when one disputes with another person, he employs every way – other than what is legislated in the Sharee’ah – to play tricks until he takes the rights of his opponent, and by way of this he diverts from the straight path”. (3)

Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab [rahimahulaah] said: “If a man has the ability when arguing – whether it is a dispute in religion or a worldly affair – to defend falsehood and make it appear to the listener that what he says is truth, seek to weaken the truth and present it in the image of falsehood, then this is one of the ugliest of forbidden deeds and vilest traits of hypocrisy (in one’s deeds)”. (4)

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: “Mixing truth with false is by mixing the two until one of them is confused for the other. This is forgery and deceit by way of which what is made apparent is the opposite of what it is in reality. Likewise, when truth is confounded with falsehood, the culprit manifests falsehood in the image of truth and speaks with a statement that carries two meanings- a correct meaning and false meaning, so the listener is under the illusion that the speaker intends the correct meaning, whilst he (i.e. the speaker) intends the corrupt meaning”. (5)

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] said, “Fujoor Fil Khusoomah [Iniquity during disputing] is of types: rejecting what is obligated on you (to fulfil, give etc) and claim what one is not entitled to”. https://youtu.be/FGtZtOBbif4

[Ref 1: Ṣaḥeeh Muslim 1844]

[Ref 2: Sharh Saheeh Muslim Vol 12/196]

[Ref 3: Fat-hul Baaree 1/90]

[Ref 4: Jaami’ul Uloom Wal Hikam 1/432]

[Ref 5: Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim’ Vol 1, page 124]