The term “lie” applies to a report that does not correspond to reality. Therefore, “lying” is the act of conveying such a report, whether the reporter is aware of its contradiction with reality or believes that it corresponds to reality due to his compound ignorance. It is inherently and self-evidently abhorrent in both cases; as Allah Almighty has said about the first case: ﴿وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾[1]; “And they fabricate lies against Allah while they know,” and said about the second case: ﴿مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِآبَائِهِمْ ۚ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۚ إِنْ يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا﴾[2]; “They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grievous is the word that comes out of their mouths. They say nothing but a lie.” Rather, He has placed it in the same rank as worshipping idols due to its extreme abhorrence and said: ﴿فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ﴾[3]; “Avoid the filth of idols, and avoid false words.”

However, lying, meaning to convey a report that contradicts reality, carries a must-be-observed prohibition only if it is known that the report contradicts reality; because if it is not known that the report contradicts reality, it is not possible to avoid it as lying. For this reason, forbidding it under this title is considered useless, although it is possible to avoid its prerequisites that cause compound ignorance, and accordingly, it is correct to forbid them under the title of impediments to knowledge. Therefore, the term “liar” in fact applies to one who conveys a report with the knowledge that it contradicts reality in order to gain a benefit or prevent harm in his supposition. However, one who conveys such a report without the knowledge that it contradicts reality is not in fact considered a liar, but is considered to be in great error; because he tells the truth in his supposition, although he is a sinner and deserves punishment because of his failure to acquire the prerequisites of knowledge. From here, it is understood that lies are not only told by liars but also by those who intend to be truthful, and perhaps the lies of the latter are greater and more dangerous; like the lies of some jurists and narrators who have confused the Ummah with their wrong opinions and false reports, and the lies of some of their imitators whose efforts in the life of the world are misguided while thinking they are doing good.

Based on this, the prohibition of lying means, on the one hand, the prohibition of conveying a report that contradicts reality with the knowledge that it contradicts reality, and on the other hand, the obligation to avoid ignorance, imitation, passions, worldliness, fanaticism, arrogance, and superstitionism, which lead to conveying such a report without the knowledge that it contradicts reality.

Yes, lying, meaning to convey such a report with the knowledge that it contradicts reality, although forbidden in the primary case, may be permissible in specific cases where the benefit of lying outweighs its harm according to Sharia, which are four cases:

1. Taqiyyah

2. War

3. Reconciliation

4. Advice

As a detailed explanation, if conveying a report that corresponds to reality leads to the unlawful killing of a Muslim or greater strife than that, then it is not permissible; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾[4]; “Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief, except for one who is forced while his heart remains true to his faith, but whoever opens up his breast to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment,” and if conveying a report that corresponds to reality during wartime leads to the spread of fear and terror among Muslims or security and courage among the enemies of Islam, then it is not permissible; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ ۖ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾[5]; “And when there comes to them news of security or fear, they spread it, while if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those of them who investigate it would have known it, and were it not for Allah’s grace upon you and His mercy, you would have surely followed Satan, except for a few,” and if conveying a report that corresponds to reality leads to the occurrence or continuation of a conflict between two individuals or groups of Muslims, then it is not permissible; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ﴾[6]; “So fear Allah and make things right among yourselves,” and said: ﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾[7]; “Surely, the believers are brothers, so make things right among your brothers, and fear Allah so that you may receive mercy,” and said: ﴿لَا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۚ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا﴾[8]; “There is no good in most of their secret talks, except for one who enjoins charity or right or reconciliation between people, and whoever does that seeking the pleasure of Allah, We will soon give him a great reward,” and if conveying a report that contradicts reality is out of well-wishing and, for example, to alert the heedless and guide the misguided, then it is permissible; as Allah Almighty has said about Yusuf, peace be upon him: ﴿فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُمْ بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ﴾[9]; “When he equipped them with their supplies, he put the drinking cup in his brother’s saddlebag. Then a caller called out: ‘O people of the caravan! Indeed, you are thieves,’” while they were not thieves, and Yusuf, peace be upon him, said that only out of well-wishing and to alert them. Also, Allah Almighty has said about Ibrahim, peace be upon him: ﴿قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا فَاسْأَلُوهُمْ إِنْ كَانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ﴾[10]; “He said: ‘Rather, this chief of them did that, so ask them if they can speak,’” while the chief of the idols did not break them into pieces, and Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said that only out of well-wishing and to guide the misguided.

It is understood from here that conveying a report that contradicts reality is permissible in these four cases, but only if it is not possible to remain silent or talk ambiguously; because there is no reason to lie if remaining silent or talking ambiguously is sufficient. Also, the permissibility of lying in these four cases must not become a pretext for oppressive rulers and their minions to tell people all sorts of lies and conceal from them all facts with motives such as preserving their rule; because the purpose of the mentioned ruling is to reduce the burden of good-doers in defending the rights of the oppressed, bringing about the interests of the weak, and guiding the misguided to the clear truth; considering that it refers to words of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿مَا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾[11]; “There is no way (to blame) against those who do good, and Allah is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful,” not to reduce the burden of tyrants in preserving their rule, violating the rights of the oppressed, and misguiding people; as one of our companions informed us, he said

«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: لَيْسَ لِلظَّالِمِ قَصْرُ صَلَاةٍ، وَلَا إِفْطَارُ صَوْمٍ، وَلَا اضْطِرَارٌ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ، وَلَا كِذْبٌ فِي مَصْلَحَةٍ، وَلَا تَقَيِّةٌ فِي خِيفَةٍ»; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘For an oppressor, there is no shortening of prayer, no breaking of the fast (while traveling), no emergency in predicament, no lie in expediency, and no taqiyyah in fear.’”

This is because all of these rulings have been legislated based on Allah’s mercy, and oppressors do not deserve Allah’s mercy; as He has said: ﴿أَلَا لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ﴾[12]; “Know that the curse of Allah is upon oppressors,” and His curse is the expulsion of His mercy.