Is Lying Ever Justified?

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There are no absolute justifications for lying in Islam, and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has asked us to tell the truth even under the harshest circumstances. However, one may choose not to tell the truth in the following situations:

a) He is under oppression and there is danger of losing his life if he tell the truth. Sheikh Sa'di narrates a story as follows:

"A cruel king ordered an innocent man from village present in his court to be killed because of his lack of manners. Hearing this, the villager started to curse the king in his native language. The king asked the prime minister, who understood that villager's language, to tell him what that villager was saying. The wise minister, instead of telling the truth, told the king this villager is sorry for his conduct, praising his greatness and asking for his mercy. The king was affected and he spared the life of that innocent villager."

Sheikh Sa'di calls this a "lie with wisdom."

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has asked us to tell the truth even under the harshest circumstances. However, there are some instances where we are allowed not to tell the truth...

b) To promote mutual relationship between spouse, i.e., if wife asks you, "Am I beautiful?" or "Do you love me?" there is nothing wrong with saying "Yes," even if this is not the case. While these types of lying are tolerated, it is crucial not to step over the bounds of what is and is not acceptable. For instance, if a wife asks her husband if he is having an affair and the husband lies and says that he isn't (when he is) to make her 'happy' is not a permissible lie. This scenario is not what the above hadith permits. This is a deceptive lie which the husband is engaging in to serve his own agenda.

c) This also applies during war. If a prisoner is captured by the enemy and perhaps asked how many soldiers are with his army, he can lie about the number in order to protect his own fighters.

He is not a liar who tries to bring peace between two people by trying not to tell the truth.

d) While making peace between two quarreling parties, instead of igniting opposition between them, i.e., "He said such and such bad thing about you," just say, "He says such and such good thing about you." according to a tradition:

He is not a liar who tries to bring peace between two people by trying not to tell the truth."

"A cruel king ordered an innocent man from village present in his court to be killed because of his lack of manners. Hearing this, the villager started to curse the king in his native language. The king asked the prime minister, who understood that villager's language, to tell him what that villager was saying. The wise minister, instead of telling the truth, told the king: this villager is sorry for his conduct, praising his greatness and asking for his mercy. The king was affected and he spared the life of that innocent villager."

e) to make unbelievers realize the truth as described in Surah al-Anbiya (21:62-65). When the Prophet Abraham (AS) broke all the idols except the biggest one, the unbelievers entered the temple. The Prophet Abraham (AS) hid and put his ax in the hand of the chief idol. They asked, "Who broke our gods?" The Prophet Abraham (AS) said, "Ask the chief idol, he has the ax." They said, "Don't you know he can't speak or do anything?" The Prophet Abraham (AS) said, "That's what I have been telling you, so worship Allah (SWT) instead of these stones that cannot harm or profit you."

Being truthful is an endearing quality that we all would be blessed to attain in our lifetime and is a commodity that is becoming more and more scarce in the present world...

Lies often roll off the human tongue just as fast as the moths are attracted to an open flame. The consequences of both are sometimes equally flammable. Being truthful is an endearing quality that we all would be blessed to attain in our lifetime and is a commodity that is becoming more and more scarce in this present world as the hands of time relentlessly spin round and round.

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