The hedgehog smiled, then reciting a poetry, The princess inquire
to the mirror on the wall
Mirror mirror on the wall
tell me who's the most fascinate
say what I like even if it's a lie
Then, the mirror tell a lie
He began with, "All praise is to Allah, the Rabb of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the most honored among the Prophets and Messengers (ﷺ).
O my brothers and sisters, lying or kadhib, disgraced love. Kadhib is one of the evil sins and shameful deeds. The scholars have said, "Truthfulness leads to performing pure righteous deeds. Kadhib leads to evildoing, which is a deviation from the Straight Path." Kadhib is the basis of evil doing and wickedness, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ
"...Kadhib leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire..." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Scholars have stated that the rulings on Kadhib is fundamentally Haram. Kadhib is Haram because of the harm that it causes to the person lied to and others. However, Kadhib is permissible in certain circumstances and even mandatory in others. The limit here is when any commendable and lawful purpose can be achieved by not telling a lie, then Kadhib is Haram. However, if it cannot be achieved except by Kadhib, then Kadhib becomes permissible. Further, if telling a lie may be the means of achieving a lawful objective then it becomes permissible.
If it was mandatory, then Kadhib becomes mandatory. An example would be that if a Muslim hides himself out of fear from an oppressor whose intent is to kill him, or if he hides his money from an oppressor, then if someone asks about this person, Kadhib becomes mandatory to protect the oppressed person and/or his property. The prudent thing to do in any of these cases, however, is to employ Tauriyah (to tell part of the truth).
In brief, that the rulings on Kadhib can be from among any of the five Shari 'ah rulings, nonetheless, it is fundamentally Haram. First Ruling: Haram or Prohibited: When there is no Shari 'ah benefit from using it. Second Ruling: Malruh or Disliked, when it is used, for example, to console parents or a spouse. Third Ruling: Mandub or Recommended, when it is employed to terrify the enemies of Islam in Jihad, such as exaggerating about the number of Muslims and their weaponry. Fourth Ruling: Wajib or Mandatory, when it is employed to protect a Muslim or his property from destruction. Fifth Ruling: Mubah or Permissible, when it is employed to reconciliate between people.
However, Scholars, have said that Kadhib in general is an abomination based on the criticism and condemnation of liars in the Book of Allah. Since we are referring to the aforementioned Sharia rules, there is no such thing as "White Lies."
It was related about the Salaf that we have allowances in Ta'reed. Ta'reed is to tell the truth but in such a way that may lead the listener to understand differently. This means that if a person has to lie then he can employ it. But when there is no need or necessity, then using Ta'reed and Kadhib are not permissible but Ta'reed is a lessor wrong.
An example of Ta 'reed is when Mu'adh bin Jabal worked for 'Umar bin Al-Khattab. When he returned to his wife, she asked, "Why didn't you bring us like other workers are bringing to their families?" He said, "I had a watcher (one watching over me)." She said, "You were an honest person trusted by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and by Abu Bakr afterwards, and now 'Umar sends a watcher with you." She then talked to her female friends and complained about 'Umar. When the news reached 'Umar, he called Mu'adh and said, "Have I sent a watcher with you?" He said, "I didn't find any excuse to give to my wife except that." 'Umar laughed, gave him something and said, "Please her with this." Mu'adh meant that Allah was the Watcher.
This was an example of using Ta'reed in a time of need. But when there is no need, then it should not be used. Ta'reed actually makes the listener understand other than the truth, even when the wording is not considered Kadhib. In general, Ta 'reed is disliked.
There are many motives that incite ill-hearted persons to lie, among these are, first, lack of fear of Allah and not calling to mind His watching over us at all times.
Second, trying to change facts and replace them with false information. The reason could be to increase or decrease the facts, for boasting, for a worldly gain etc. A further example of this would be when a person lies about the cost paid for land or a vehicle purchased, or a person lying to the family of an affianced spouse.
Third, joining with a group of friends in an attempt to attract the attention of others, as a result a person might lie and tell false stories.
Fourth, lack of feeling responsibility or trying to avoid a confrontation with the facts during critical times and circumstances.
Fifth, contracting the habit of Kadhib from childhood. This is a consequence of bad upbringing. When a child sees his parents lie, he grows up to lie.
Sixth, boasting of Kadhib and considering it a form of superior intelligence and a smart way of handling things.
Some Kadhib may not be considered Fusuuq (commitment of a major sin), like exaggeration. One might say, "I called you so-and-so times" or "I told you a hundred times." The number stated here is not meant to be accurate but is intended to indicate exaggeration. If the person actually called the other person only once then it is considered Kadhib. However, if he called him several times more than usual, then it is not considered a sin even if it were not actually a hundred times. Between the former and the latter, are varying grades and a person prone to over-exaggeration may let his tongue fall into Kadhib.
People might also be tolerant with the following behavior. Someone is told to eat and he responds saying, "I don't like this food" or "I'm not hungry" when he actually does like it or is hungry. This is Haram and is prohibited even when the intention may be good.
Allah's Messenger(ﷺ) said, ""Kadhib is written as Kadhib and small Kadhib is written as small Kadhib (meaning that all Kadhib is written
whether small or big)." [Ibn Abud-Dunya and Ahmad]
Righteous people used to avoid such Kadhib and did not tolerate it. Such was the consciousness of the righteous people. If a person would tolerate small Kadhib then he would lie sometimes without noticing it.
'Isa bin Maryam said, "Among the greatest sins with Allah is that a slave would say 'Allah knows' for something he himself doesn't know."
People normally say, "Allah knows such and such happened" while the person telling the story does not know the truth about it.
People may also lie about their dreams. This is a great sin. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
مِنْ أَفْرَى الْفِرَى أَنْ يُرِيَ عَيْنَيْهِ مَا لَمْ تَرَ
"The worst lie is that a person claims to have seen a dream which he has not seen." [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
The Prophet (ﷺ) also said,
مَنْ تَحَلَّمَ كَاذِبًا كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَعْقِدَ بَيْنَ شَعِيرَتَيْنِ وَلَنْ يَعْقِدَ بَيْنَهُمَا
"Whoever lies about having a dream, he will be required to knot two barely kernels together on the Day Of Judgment., and he will never be able to knot them together." [Jami' At-Tirmidhi; Sahih]
