“Be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise.”

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Adhere to truthfulness, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man will keep telling the truth and strive to tell the truth until he is recorded with Allah as the most truthful. Beware of lying, for lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hellfire. A man will keep telling lies and strive to tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a persistent liar."

Narrated by Ibn Mas‘ud and agreed upon. The hadith is built as a matched pair: truthfulness leads to righteousness leads to Paradise, and a man keeps telling the truth until he is written with Allah as siddiq; lying leads to wickedness leads to the Fire, and a man keeps lying until he is written a liar. What is being described is not a single act but the wearing of a groove.