In Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn, al-Ghazali shows that lying as a major sin using hadiths linking lying to hypocrisy, wickedness, and entry into the Fire. The Salaf regarded it as the foundation of hypocrisy and the most severe of faults. Persisting in it results in being recorded by Allah as a liar. Lying is condemned in all contexts, including casual speech, trade, and humour.
False oaths in business are classed among the gravest sins, leading to the anger of Allah, loss of provision, and spiritual corruption.
Traders will be resurrected as wicked except those who combine commerce with taqwa, righteousness, and truthfulness. Even small lies, such as to children were corrected by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
The hadiths Al Ghazali brings shows that truthfulness is part of righteousness and leads to Paradise, while false speech is among the greatest kabāʾir. Lying about the Prophet is explicitly forbidden, and a single proven lie could invalidate a person’s testimony. The Companions and the Salaf treated lying with utmost severity, considering it a disgrace to character and a cause for social distrust.
Conditions for permissible lying
Al-Ghazali clarifies that the prohibition of lying, is due to the harm caused by propogating false beliefs. If the intended benefit can be achieved through truth, lying is never allowed. However, if a permissible or obligatory objective cannot be achieved without lying, it becomes permissible or, in cases like saving a Muslim’s life, obligatory.
Al Ghazali brings hadiths showing that lying is allowed in three situations: warfare, reconciliation between people, and marital harmony. Related cases include protecting honour, property, or shielding a believer from oppressive questioning about sins or private matters.
These permissions are tightly bound to necessity; most lying, being for personal gain, is prohibited. Fabrication of hadith, even for virtuous aims, is absolutely forbidden, as truth suffices and the harm of such lies to the Sharia outweighs any perceived benefit.
Indirect speech (maʿārid)
The Salaf sometimes used ambiguous wording to avoid a direct lie in situations of necessity, such as evading danger or concealing sensitive information. These expressions allowed a technically truthful statement to be understood differently by the listener.
Outside of necessity, indirect speech is discouraged, especially when it bolsters false impressions for pride or personal image. Light, harmless jokes involving truthful wordplay is tolerated, but lying in jokes diminishes faith.
Cultural exaggerations are tolerated only when clearly understood as non-literal, while statements denying what is actually desired, without valid reason are prohibited.
Translation: Lying in speech and oaths
Abu Umamah said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Indeed lying is a gate from the gates of hypocrisy” (Narrated by Ibn ʿAdi in al-Kamil with a weak chain containing ʿUmar ibn Musa al-Wajiihi who is very weak. What suffices in its place is the hadith, “Three things, whoever has them is a hypocrite” in Bukhari 6095 and the hadith, “Four things, whoever has them is a pure hypocrite,” both of which say: ‘When he speaks, he lies,’ and both are in al-Bukhari 34 and Sahih Muslim 58).
Al-Hasan Al Basei (d. 110 AH) said: It used to be said that among hypocrisy is the difference between what is hidden and what is shown, and between speech and action, and between entry and exit, and that the foundation on which hypocrisy is built is lying.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by two men buying and selling a sheep and swearing oaths. One of them said: By Allah, I will not reduce it from such-and-such, and the other said: By Allah, I will not increase it beyond such-and-such. He then passed by the sheep after one had bought it and said: “One of them has incurred sin and the expiation” (Narrated by Abu al-Fath al-Azdi in Kitab al-Asmaʾ al-Mufradah from Nasikh al-Hadrami, and likewise narrated in the Amali of Ibn Samʿun).
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Lying diminishes provision” (Narrated by Abu al-Shaykh in Tabaqat al-Asbahaniyyin from Abu Hurayrah. It is also narrated in Mashyakhat al-Qadi Abu Bakr, but its chain is weak).
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “O traders! (he addressed them), and they lifted their heads and gazes toward him. He said: ‘Indeed, traders will be raised on the Day of Resurrection as wicked (people), except those who fear Allah, are righteous, and are truthful.'”
يا معشرَ التُّجارِ . فاستجابوا لرسولِ اللهِ ، ورَفعوا أعناقَهم وأبصارَهم إليه ، فقال : إنَّ التُّجارَ يُبعثون يومَ القيامةِ فُجارًا ؛ إلا من اتَّقى اللهَ ، وبَرَّ وصدق .
(Narrated in Tahdheeb al-Athar 94).
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Three people Allah loves: a man who was in a group and faced the enemy, exposing his neck until he is killed or Allah grants him and his companions victory; a man who had a bad neighbour who harmed him, yet he was patient with his harm until they were separated by death or departure; and a man who was with a group on a journey or expedition, and they travelled deep into the night until they loved to rest, so they stopped, and he withdrew to pray until he woke them for departure.
And three people Allah hates: the trader or seller who swears falsely, the arrogant poor man, and the boastful miser” (Narrated by Ahmad with his wording, and in its chain is Ibn al-Ahmas whose status is unknown. Al-Nasa’i narrated it with different wording and a good chain. Al-Nasa’i also narrated from Abu Hurayrah a hadith with similar meaning and a good chain).
He said: “Woe to the one who speaks and lies to make people laugh. Woe to him, woe to him” (Narrated by Abu Dawud 4990 and al-Tirmidhi 2315, who graded it hasan, and by al-Nasa’i in al-Kubra from Bahz ibn Hakim, from his father, from his grandfather).
Abdullah ibn Jurad said: I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: Does a believer commit fornication? He said: It may happen. I said: Does a believer lie? He said: No. Then he recited: “Only those who do not believe in the verses of Allah fabricate falsehood” (al-Nahl 16:105). (Narrated by Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr in al-Tamhid with a weak chain, and by Ibn Abi al-Dunya in al-Samt mentioning only lying and naming the questioner as Abu al-Dardaʾ. Abdullah ibn Jurad al-ʿAmiri was from the people of al-Taʾif, and narrated from Abu Hurayrah).
Abu Saʿid al-Khudri said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, supplicating: “O Allah, purify my heart from hypocrisy, my private parts from fornication, and my tongue from lying” (In the manuscripts of Ihyaʾ this is attributed to Abu Saʿid, but it is actually from Umm Maʿbad, narrated by al-Khatib in al-Tarikh without the words ‘and my private parts from fornication,’ and adding ‘and my actions from showing off, and my eyes from treachery.’ Its chain is weak).
He said: “If Allah were to grant me blessings as numerous as these pebbles, I would distribute them among you, and you would not find me miserly, nor a liar, nor a coward” (The correct wording is found in Bukhari 2821, “If I had as many camels as these thorny trees, I would have distributed them amongst you and you will not find me a miser or a liar or a coward.)
He said: “Indeed Satan has a syrup, a snuff, and a kohl. His syrup is lying, his snuff is anger, and his kohl is sleep” (Narrated by al-Tabarani and Abu Nuʿaym from Anas with a weak chain, as mentioned earlier).
He said: “Whoever swears a sinful oath to unlawfully take the wealth of a Muslim will meet Allah while He is angry with him” (Agreed upon from Ibn Masʿud, Bukhari 6676 and Sahih Muslim 138).
It is narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, rejected the testimony of a man for a single lie he told (Narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya in al-Samt from Musa ibn Shaybah mursal, and Musa narrated strange reports from Maʿmar, as Ahmad ibn Hanbal said).
He said: “Every trait the Muslim may have except betrayal and lying” (Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf from Abu Umamah, and by Ibn ʿAdi in the introduction to al-Kamil from Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas, Ibn ʿUmar, and Abu Umamah. Ibn Abi al-Dunya narrated it in al-Samt from Saʿd, both marfuʿ and mawquf, and al-Daraqutni in al-Milal said the mawquf is more correct).
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: There was nothing more severe to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, than lying. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would discover a man among his Companions to have lied, and it would remain in his chest until he knew that he had repented to Allah from it (Narrated by Ahmad from Aishah with trustworthy narrators, though he said: from Ibn Abi Mulaykah or someone else. Abu al-Shaykh narrated it in al-Tabaqat explicitly from Ibn Abi Mulaykah without doubt, and it is authentic).
Musa (peace be upon him) said: O Lord, which of Your servants is best in deed to You? He said: The one whose tongue does not lie, whose heart does not transgress, and whose private parts do not commit fornication.
Luqman said to his son: O my son, beware of lying, for it is sweet like the meat of a small bird, but soon its owner will be despised.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said in praise of truthfulness: “Four things, if they are in you, what you miss from the world will not harm you: truthfulness in speech, fulfilling trusts, good character, and purity of provision” (Narrated by al-Hakim and al-Kharaʾiti in Makarem al-Akhlaq from Abdullah ibn ʿAmr, and in its chain is Ibn Lahiʿah who is a weak narrator).
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said in a sermon after the death of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stood among us as I stand among you this time last year, then he wept and said: “Adhere to truthfulness, for it is with righteousness, and both are in Paradise” (Narrated by Ibn Majah and al-Nasa’i in al-Yawm wa al-Laylah, part of it already mentioned at the beginning of this section).
Muʿadh said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me: “I advise you to fear Allah, to speak truthfully, to fulfil trusts, to keep your promises, to spread salam, and to lower your wing” (Narrated by Abu Nuʿaym in al-Hilyah).
As for the reports, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The greatest of sins with Allah is a lying tongue, and the worst regret is the regret on the Day of Resurrection. Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (d. 101 AH, may Allah have mercy on him) said: I have not uttered a single lie since the day I tightened my waist wrap upon myself. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The most beloved of you to us, before we see you, is the one with the best name. When we see you, the most beloved of you to us is the one with the best character. When we test you, the most beloved of you to us is the one most truthful in speech and greatest in trustworthiness.
Maymun ibn Abi Shabib said: I once sat writing a letter, and I came to a word that, if I wrote it, would make the letter more beautiful, yet I would be lying, so I resolved to leave it. Then I heard a voice from the side of the house reciting: “Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the firm word, in the life of this world and in the Hereafter” (Ibrahim: 27).
Al-Sha’bi said: I do not know which is deeper in Hell, the liar or the miser. Ibn al-Sammak said: I do not think I am rewarded for refraining from lying, for I only leave it because it is vile. It was said to Khalid ibn Sabih: Is a man called a liar for a single lie? He said: Yes. Malik ibn Dinar (d. 131 AH) said: I read in some of the earlier scriptures that there is no preacher except that his sermon will be compared to his deeds; if he is truthful, he will be affirmed, and if he is lying, his lips will be cut with scissors of fire, and every time they are cut they will grow back. Malik ibn Dinar also said: Truth and falsehood wrestle in the heart until one expels the other. Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz spoke to al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik about something, and al-Walid said to him: You have lied. Umar replied: By Allah, I have not lied since I knew that lying disgraces its speaker.
Clarification of what lying is permitted in
Know that lying is not prohibited in and of itself, but because of the harm it contains for the listener or for others. At the very least, it causes the one informed to believe something contrary to reality, making him ignorant, and this ignorance may cause harm to others. Sometimes ignorance brings benefit and advantage, and lying in that case would bring about that ignorance, making it permitted, and sometimes it may even be obligatory.
Maymun ibn Mihran said: Lying in some situations is better than telling the truth. Imagine a man chasing another with a sword to kill him, and the latter enters a house. The pursuer reaches you and says: Have you seen so-and-so? What would you say? Would you not say: I have not seen him? That would not be true, yet it would be obligatory to lie in that case.
We say: Speech is a means to achieving objectives. Every praiseworthy objective that can be achieved by both truth and lying, lying in it is prohibited. If it can only be achieved by lying, then lying is permitted if the objective itself is permissible, and obligatory if the objective is obligatory. For example, preserving the life of a Muslim is obligatory.
If telling the truth would lead to the spilling of the blood of a Muslim hiding from an oppressor, then lying is obligatory. Likewise, if achieving the aim of war, or reconciling between people, or winning the heart of an injured party can only be done through lying, then it is permitted. However, one should avoid it as much as possible, for opening the door to lying upon oneself may lead to lying where there is no need, going beyond the limit of necessity. Thus, lying is originally prohibited except in necessity.
The evidence for this exception is what is narrated from Umm Kulthum, who said: I never heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, permit lying except in three cases: when a man speaks intending reconciliation, when a man speaks in war, and when a man speaks to his wife and the wife to her husband (Narrated by Muslim, as mentioned earlier. Umm Kulthum bint Uqba ibn Abi Mu’it was among the female emigrants who pledged allegiance and were tested).
She also said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: He is not a liar who reconciles between two people, saying good words or conveying good (Agreed upon, as mentioned earlier). Asma bint Yazid said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Every lie is recorded against the son of Adam, except for a man who lies between two Muslims to reconcile between them (Narrated by Ahmad with an addition, and by al-Tirmidhi in shortened form who graded it good. Asma bint Yazid bint al-Sakan al-Ansariyyah).
It is narrated from Abu Kahil that there was a dispute between two of the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, until they stopped speaking to each other. I met one of them and said: Why is it with you and so-and-so? I heard him praising you. Then I met the other and said the same, until they reconciled. I then said: I have ruined myself and reconciled between them, and I told the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: O Abu Kahil, reconcile between people (Narrated by al-Tabarani, but not authentic).
Ata ibn Yasar narrated that a man said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: May I lie to my family? He said: There is no good in lying. The man said: I repeat what I said to her and promise her? He said: There is no sin upon you (Narrated by Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid, mursal from Safwan ibn Sulaym from Ata ibn Yasar. Also in al-Muwatta’ from Safwan ibn Sulaym, mu’dal without mentioning Ata ibn Yasar).
It is narrated that Ibn Abi Udhrah al-Du’ali, during the caliphate of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), would divorce women he married. A rumour spread about him that he disliked, so when he learned of it, he took Abdullah ibn al-Arqam by the hand to his house and said to his wife: I ask you by Allah, do you dislike me? She said: Do not make me swear. He said: I ask you by Allah. She said: Yes. He said to Ibn al-Arqam: Do you hear?
Then they went to Umar and said: People are saying that I wrong my wives and divorce them. Ask Ibn al-Arqam. Umar asked him, and he told him the story. Umar then summoned the wife of Ibn Abi Udhrah and her aunt, and said: Are you the one telling your husband you dislike him? She said: I was the first to repent and return to the command of Allah.
He had made me swear, and I feared to lie. Shall I lie, O Commander of the Believers? He said: Yes, lie. If one of you does not love one of us, she should not tell him that. The smallest number of homes built on love is few, but people live together through Islam and lineage.
Thawban said: Lying is all sin, except that by which a Muslim benefits or harm is repelled from him.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If I narrate to you from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then for me to fall from the sky is more beloved to me than to lie about him. If I narrate to you from myself, then war is deception. These three situations have an explicit exemption, and anything similar to them in meaning is included if it serves a valid objective for oneself or for another. For example, regarding one’s wealth, if an oppressor takes it and asks about it, one may deny it.
If a ruler questions him about a sin committed between him and Allah, such as fornication or theft, he may deny it and say: I did not commit adultery, I did not steal.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Whoever commits any of these shameful acts should conceal himself with the concealment of Allah. (Narrated by al-Hakim from Umar with the wording: Avoid these vile things that Allah has forbidden, and whoever falls into something from them, let him conceal himself with the concealment of Allah, and its chain is sound).
Likewise, regarding the honour of others, if one is asked about a secret of his brother, he may deny it. If he reconciles between two people, or between co-wives by showing each that she is more beloved, or if his wife will not obey him except with a promise he cannot fulfil, he may promise it to please her heart. Or if he apologises to someone who will not be satisfied except with denial of a wrong and showing extra friendliness, there is no harm.
The rule is that lying is disliked, and if telling the truth in these cases causes harm greater in the sight of the Sharia than lying, then lying is less harmful. If the aim is lesser than the aim of telling the truth, then truth is obligatory. If both seem equal and one is unsure, then truth is preferred, for lying is only permitted for necessity or important need. If one doubts whether the need is important, the default is prohibition, and one returns to it.
Because of the subtlety of weighing objectives, one should avoid lying as much as possible, and if the benefit is only for oneself, it is better to abandon it, especially if it harms the rights of others. Most lying is for personal benefit, such as increasing wealth or status. For example, a woman may claim from her husband something he did not do to spite her co-wife, and this is prohibited.
Asma said: I heard a woman ask the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saying: I have a co-wife, and I claim from my husband things he has not done to harm her. Is there any sin on me? He said: One who pretends to have what he has not is like one who wears two garments of falsehood (Agreed upon. She was Asma bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq).
He also said: Whoever claims to have eaten what he did not eat, or says “I have” when he has not, or says “I was given” when he was not given, is like one who wears two garments of falsehood on the Day of Resurrection (I did not find it with this exact wording).
This also includes a scholar issuing a fatwa without verification, or narrating a hadith without confirmation, aiming to show off his knowledge and avoiding saying “I do not know,” and this is prohibited.
This also includes with children, such as when a child will not attend school except with a false promise, threat, or fear, this is permitted. Yes, it is narrated that this is recorded as lying, but lying that is permitted may also be recorded and accounted for, and one is asked to purify his intention, then it is pardoned if the intention was reconciliation. However, it often becomes mixed with personal aims, so it is recorded.
Whoever lies has entered into a risk, needing to determine whether the aim for which he lied is greater in the sight of the Sharia than telling the truth. This is very subtle, and caution is to avoid it except when it becomes obligatory, such as when the alternative leads to bloodshed or committing a sin.
Some people think it is permissible to fabricate hadith about the virtues of deeds or in warning against sins, claiming that the aim is sound. This is false, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his seat in the Fire (Agreed upon through multiple routes, as mentioned earlier in the Book of Knowledge).
It is never allowed except for necessity, and there is no necessity here, for the truth suffices without falsehood. The claim that the repeated texts have lost their impact and new ones would be more effective is delusion, for this is not a legitimate aim that outweighs the harm of lying about the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, or about Allah.
Opening this door would harm the Sharia, and its harm outweighs any supposed benefit. Lying about the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is among the major sins that nothing can outweigh. We ask Allah to pardon us and all the Muslims.
Clarification of caution against lying through indirect speech (ma’arid)
It has been narrated from the Salaf that indirect speech is an alternative to lying. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Is there not in indirect speech what spares a man from lying? This is also narrated from Ibn Abbas and others. They only intended this for when one is forced to lie. If there is no need or necessity, neither indirect speech nor direct lies are permitted, though indirect speech is lighter.
An example is what is narrated that Mutarrif entered upon Ziyad who complained of his delay. Mutarrif excused himself by saying: Since I left the governor, I have not lifted my side except that Allah lifted it. Ibrahim said: If someone is told something about you and you dislike to lie, then say: Allah knows that I have not said anything of that, meaning the word “ma” as negation to the listener but as vagueness to himself.
Mu’adh ibn Jabal was a governor for Umar. When he returned, his wife asked: What did you bring from your work as other workers bring to their families? He had brought nothing. He said: I had a supervisor. She said: You were trustworthy with the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr, and Umar sent with you a supervisor? She spread this among women and complained to Umar. Umar summoned Mu’adh and asked: Did I send with you a supervisor? He said: I could not find anything else to say to her except that. Umar laughed and gave him something, saying: Please her with this. He had meant by “supervisor” Allah.
Al-Nakha’i would not say to his daughter: I will buy you sugar, but would say: What if I bought you sugar? For it might not happen. Ibrahim, if someone he disliked sought him while he was in the house, would tell his servant girl: Tell him to look for me in the mosque, but do not say I am not here, so it would not be a lie. Al-Sha’bi, when sought at home by someone he disliked, would draw a circle and tell the servant: Put your finger in it and say: He is not here.
All this is in cases of need. Outside of need, it is disliked, for it conveys a false meaning even if the words are technically true, and this is generally disliked, as Abdullah ibn Utbah said: I entered with my father upon Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz and came out wearing a garment. People said: The Commander of the Believers gave you that? I would say: May Allah reward the Commander of the Believers well. My father said: O my son, fear lying and what resembles it. He forbade it because it confirmed their false assumption for the sake of boasting, which is a false aim with no benefit.
Yes, indirect speech may be used for a light purpose, like pleasing someone with a joke, such as saying: No old woman will enter Paradise (Narrations: No old woman will enter Paradise, what is in your husband’s eye is whiteness, and I will carry you on the child of a camel, have been mentioned earlier in the tenth affliction), or saying to another: In your husband’s eye there is whiteness, or to another: I will carry you on the child of a camel.
As for explicit lying, like what Nu’ayman al-Ansari did with Uthman in the story of the blind man, or what people do when tricking the simple-minded with false claims of marriage proposals, then if it causes harm to the heart, it is prohibited. If it is only to amuse, it does not make the person sinful, but it reduces his faith, as in the saying: A man’s faith is not complete until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself and avoids lying even in his jokes (Narrated by Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Isti’ab from Abu Malika al-Dhimari and said: it is questionable. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrate from Anas: None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. Al-Daraqutni narrates in al-Mu’talif wa al-Mukhtalif from Abu Hurayrah: A servant does not have complete faith until he leaves lying in his jokes. Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: it is munkar).
From the lies that do not cause sin is what is customary in exaggeration, such as saying: I asked you so-and-so many times, or I told you this a hundred times. He does not mean the exact number but intends to convey repetition. If he only asked once, it is a lie. If he asked more times than usual but not literally a hundred, there is no sin, though it is risky.
Another common falsehood people are lenient about is to say: Eat the food, and the other says: I do not desire it, while in fact he does. This is prohibited if there is no valid reason.
Mujahid narrated from Asma bint Umays that she said: I was with Aisha on the night she was prepared and entered upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, along with some women. We found no food with him except a cup of milk. He drank from it and gave it to Aisha. She was shy, so I said: Do not reject the hand of the Messenger of Allah, take it. She took it shyly and drank, then he said: Pass it to your companions. They said:
We do not want it. He said: Do not combine hunger with lying (Narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya from Mujahid mursal. It has supporting evidence from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah in Ibn Majah and al-Tabarani: A man should not tell another to eat when he has no desire, and a woman should not tell another woman to eat when she has no desire. Al-Mundhiri said: there is some leniency in it).
Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm al-dīn by Al Ghazali Pg 1025-1033
