Is It Permissible to Lie to Conceal a Good Deed?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: Is it permissible (and possibly even praiseworthy/preferable) to lie in order to conceal a good deed? Example: My parents hear me get up before Fajr time and ask me what I was doing. Would it be okay to say that I had to use the bathroom instead of saying I was praying?

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

Lying in the scenario described above would not be permissible.

The basis is that lying is not permissible. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Lying leads to deviance and deviance leads to the Fire. A man will lie until he is written down as a liar with Allah.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) made a few exceptions to the rule that lying is impermissible. Umm Kulthum said, “I did not hear him permit untruth in anything people say, except for three things: war, settling disagreements, and a man talking with his wife or she with him.” [Bukhari, Muslim] Even here, the basis is that one resort to other than lying, or use amibguity rather than outright lying.

As such, it is would not be permissible to lie in order to conceal a good deed. If you do not feel like manifesting your good deeds you can always express yourself in an ambiguous manner, such as saying that you went to the bathroom or the like. However, manifesting of a good deed is not problematic, nor is it in itself indicative of pride, and it may well have a positive influence on others and serve as a reminder of our duty towards Allah.

Salman

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani