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 Are There Any Instances Where Lying is Allowed?

In which instances is lying allowed? Is it permissible to lie in order to conceal our sin? Can we lie in order to keep things on an even keel with our friends and family?

Answer:

Lying is absolutely not permissible in Islam.

Lying is one of the biggest sins and one of the signs of hypocrisy (munafiqun)

“Murder, cruelty towards parents, perjury is of the biggest sins.” (Dailami)
It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Three are the signs of a hypocrite: when he spoke he told a lie, when he made a promise he acted treacherously against it, when he was trusted he betrayed. “(Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 112)
Narrated 'Abdullah:
The Prophet said, "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar." (Bukhari, Book 8, Volume 73, Hadith 116)

But there are some instances where lying is allowed:

Lying is accepted as the source of all kinds of mischief, villainy and bad things. But there are some instances in which Islam permits lying, if that serves a greater purpose or wards off a greater harm. These cases are explained in the below hadith:
It was narrated that Asma’ bintu Yazid that The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
"Lies are not appropriate except in three cases:
1) When a man speaks to his wife to please her,
2) Telling lies at times of war,
3) Lying in order to bring about reconciliation between people.”
So;
1) War.
2) When a person is intermediating in order to bring about reconciliation between two disputing parties.
3) When a man speaks to his wife, or a wife to her husband, concerning matters that will increase the love between them.
It was narrated from Ummu Kulthum bint ‘Uqbah that she heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
“He is not a liar who brings about reconciliation among people, conveys good words and says good things.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

But even in these cases telling lies openly and absolutely is not allowed by some of the Muslim Ulama.

A group of scholars including Tabari says:
“Telling lies is not permissible in anyway. Instances above permitting telling lies just some not clearly expressed instances to use inexplicit expressions without telling lies but inexplicit expression leaves the matter to the listeners’ understanding. These hadiths don’t mean telling explicit lies. ” (Kutub-u Sitta)

So in these instances, a Muslim must explain something away, must use willful misinterpretation.

For example; if a wife’s husband smells bad after coming home from work that disgusted her and her husband noticed her situation and became upset; therefore, in order not to break his heart she says: “I think I have indigestion because of the meal I ate in the afternoon.” Here, she hides the real cause to please her husband and uses a willful misinterpretation; she means an afternoon but which afternoon is not clear.
Or in a war, an army say to their enemies“your leader is dead.”-although he is alive- to demoralize them and win the war. But they mean not the current leader but the former leader who passed away in the past. They don’t give names; they don’t make it clear in order not to lie. In these kinds of instances willful misinterpretation is permissible but not lies.

It doesn’t matter if the lie is big or small, white or black

. The provision is the same for all. Imagine that a husband cheats on her wife which is absolutely haram in Islam and keeps telling lies about his whereabouts? Do you think this would be truthful or right?

Moreover;

a person who tells lies both violates the personal boundaries and trudges the right of the individual he lied.
Deceiving other, telling lies is the sign of disdain and belittle. That’s why the one who lied to another must ask for forgiveness from whom he lied to.
So; clearly

it is not permissible to tell lies in order to conceal some sins or in order to fix or not destroy your relations with your family and wife.

A Muslim must not lie even to his wife to please her; instead, he must say something away which is true and not lie. This will please her for the moment and will make relations better. Kaynak: http://askaquestionto.us - Are There Any Instances Where Lying is Allowed?