Q328 :It is stated that telling lies cannot be
sanctioned whether in earnest or in jest. Yet there may be situations
where one is motivated to tell a lie in order to avoid an unpleasant
situation or to obtain a collective benefit without causing harm to
others. Please netment.
A328 : It is important to have an overall view of
what the Prophet may have said about a particular subject before
arriving at a final judgment on what may be sanctioned by Islam and
what may not be, in connection with that particular subject. In order
to answer the point which may be raised about situations where a lie
seems to serve a more important purpose than what may be served by
telling the truth, we need to find out whether the Prophet has made any
relevant statement. Umm Kulsoom bint Uqbah reports that she heard
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying: “A person who tries to
bring about reconciliation between people and says or reports something
good is not a liar.” Umm Kulsoom states: “I have never heard him
(meaning the Prophet) allowing any concession with regard to what lies
people may tell, except in three situations: to achieve reconciliation
between two people, and in a man’s conversation with his wife and in a
wife’s conversation with her husband.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim
and others). The points are perhaps best explained by Imam Al Ghazali
who says that words are only a means leading to certain objectives.
When either telling the truth or telling a lie may result in the
achievement of a particular good objective, then resorting to lies in
order to achieve it is forbidden. If that good objective can only be
attained by lying, then to tell a lie is not sinful provided the
attainment of that particular objective is permissible If that
objective is essential, then lying in order to achieve it is required,
particularly when failing to secure it will cause certain harm. Take
for example the case of a Muslim who goes in hiding in order to avoid
the soldiers of a tyrant. If one knows his hiding place and happens to
be asked about it, he must lie in order not to give that man away.
Similarly, if he has been given something by a neighbor for safekeeping
and someone who wrongfully wants to take it away asks him about it, he
should tell a lie in order to prevent its confiscation. If he is asked
to swear that he does not know where it is, he should do so. Again, if
one tells a lie in order to prevent a quarrel or to achieve peace
between two quarreling families or to persuade someone to forgo his
right of retaliation, that sort of lie is not forbidden, especially
when the purpose cannot be achieved otherwise. Another case in which
lying is permissible is when a governor asks a person whether he may
have netmitted a grave sin which is unknown except to himself and to
Allah, and no one is harmed by it, then he should deny having netmitted
it. The point here is that if it is left to Allah, he may forgive him.
If the ruler knows of it, he must punish him for that. Islam does not
like to exact punishment. It prefers that people repent of their sins
and be forgiven by Allah. All these are good examples of situations in
which telling a lie is acceptable, because it ensures that a worse
situation is avoided. In other words, [it is acceptable in situations
when] telling a lie is the lesser of two evils.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )