I glanced at the advert while on my journey on the London Underground. The advert read, “Order your contact lenses now for only 20 pence a day.” Not that I wear contact lenses, but I was attracted to the proposition of what appeared to be a well-priced solution for those who do. However, I realised this was clearly a marketing ploy. 20 pence a day per lens didn’t sound like a lot, but if you read the fine print (which is usually denoted with an asterisk *), it stated ‘20 pence per day per eye,’ which actually accumulates to 40 pence a day. Now, multiply this by 30 days, and this becomes 12 pounds a month, which no longer seemed cheap for a month's worth of lens supply!

I bring the above as an example because we live in a world where consumerism and capitalism are key driving forces of the economy, and companies are creative in the way they market their products.

“We are consumed by consumerism.”

And in an effort to encourage others to buy, and cajole consumers into buying, I would argue that more than often, marketing content is borderline unethical. The terms are often not disclosed on the face of the advert or product, and you have to dig deep to find out the real deal you are getting, and what you are truly buying.

The idiomatic phrase “It does what it says on the tin” is a scarce reality. The irony of this particular advert was the fact that the advert is targeting those who have poor eyesight and most likely will struggle to read the fine print!

Drawing from the above example in the discussion of this verse, Allah instructs believers to say a 'straightforward’ word. A straightforward word has nothing hidden. It is honest and transparent.

Imam Al Alusi explains the nuances of the word used in this verse for straightforward (سديدا),

“that the straightforward word is like that of an arrow which is straight when it is directed towards its intended target without deviating from its course.” (Ruh Al Ma’ani).

When we sugarcoat truths and disguise what should be made transparent, we end up misleading others, and that is dangerous, especially when it comes to important commitments. I remember dealing with a case of a marital conflict which arose because the wife was never told that her husband had a long-term illness prior to the marriage, and she later found out this information by accident. Similarly, the husband complained that the wife was not in good physical health also, something he learnt about after marriage! None of the parties had disclosed these facts even when these questions were raised prior to the marriage!

Perhaps, I suggested, if the matter was made clear in the course of discussion pre-marriage, both parties could have compromised and accepted Allah’s decree, rather than weaponising these issues to try and criticise one another after the marriage!

The call to speaking a straight word in this verse is rooted in having Taqwa of Allah. This means that your statements are driven by a deeper sense of fear and accountability, regardless of whether or not your speech will land you in the dream job, marriage, or similar.

Commenting on this verse, Imam Ibn Kathir explains the following benefits of speaking truthfully:

Allah, the Exalted, commands His believing servants to have Taqwa (consciousness of Allah) and to worship Him as if they see Him, and to speak with a sound and upright word, meaning a word that is straightforward without crookedness or deviation. He promises them that if they do so, He will rectify their deeds for them, meaning He will grant them success in righteous deeds, and He will forgive their past sins. Whatever may occur to them in the future, He will inspire them to repent from it. (Ibn kathir)

May Allah grant us the ability to speak to others with our Creator in mind. It will warrant His continued forgiveness for our sins, and He will grant us success in whatever we do, Insha'Allah. This is Allah’s offer. Is there a better deal than this? No fine prints—just straight talk.

Interact with this reflection on QuranReflect here

Mindfulness tip: The Prophet ﷺ advised us two things regarding speech: speaking the truth however hard it may be and maintaining silence when we have nothing good to say. Before uttering a word, ask yourself: Is it the truth? And is it good? If not, then maintain silence. (Bulugh al-Maram

The next lesson discusses Taqwa and moral clarity and discusses verse 8:29.