Principles of Islam
11. Freedom of Expression
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According to the hadith it is a virtue on the part of
believers, to accept the truth without any
reservation when it is presented to them. That is to
say, a believer is one who has the ability in the
perfect sense of the word to accept the truth.
Whenever truth is brought before him, whenever
his faults are pointed out to him, no complex comes
in the way of his accepting of the truth.
This quality is present to the maximum degree in
one who is ready and waiting to accept the truth
when it is brought before him. Eager for his own
improvement, he accepts the truth with pleasure.
This keenness for self-reform through acceptance of
the truth is perfectly expressed in the words of
‘Umar bin al-Khattab: “May God bless the man who
sends me gifts of my own shortcomings.”
It is a fact that acknowledgment of truth is worship,
nay; it is the greatest form of worship. It is an act for
which man has to make the greatest sacrifice. What
makes it such a great sacrifice is that it involves the
setting aside of one’s prestige.
