Is It Lying for a One-Person Agency to Say “We” in Its Emails?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
If I am a one-man agency (just starting up, so I am the only one in the agency and nobody else), and I do cold email outreach referring to me as “we,” for example “we do …” or “we’re thinking of …,” would this be a lie? I’m asking as it sounds off to use “I” as an agency.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.
Wa alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
No, it isn’t lying to refer to yourself or your business as “we.” This is permissible because it is accepted usage of language: your “we” speaks for the business, and readers will understand it that way.
Language Conveys Meanings and Considers Usage
Language is based on meaning and its usage. The Merriam-Webster dictionary lists “we” for a single person, “used by writers to keep an impersonal character.”
Arabic does the same: The brilliant grammarian and Quranic commentator, Imam Abu Hayyan, records from a fellow grammarian that one person may say “we,” having “placed himself in the position of a group,” and that it is found most “in the speech of kings and scholars.” [Abu Hayyan, al-Tadhyil wa al-Takmil]
The Quran speaks so of the One God: “Verily We Ourselves have sent down the Remindance.” [Quran 15:9; Keller, The Quran Beheld]
This Is Not Lying
Lying, as SeekersGuidance scholar, Mawlana Ilyas Patel, writes, “means informing someone about something that is otherwise than it is.”
A business “we” tells no one your headcount; just don’t claim a team or record you lack. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Hold to truthfulness, for truthfulness leads to righteousness.” [Muslim]
Write with an easy heart, and may Allah bless your work.
And Allah knows best.
Faraz Rabbani
Related Answers
One. What Is Considered a Lie? — Shaykh Yusuf Weltch: Lying as the intentional, knowing affirmation of what is untrue, and why customary speech that deceives no one falls outside it.
Two. What Constitutes Lying in Islam? Is Exaggeration in Conversation Considered Lying? — Mawlana Ilyas Patel: Customary estimates and figures of speech are not lies, with reassurance for the anxious speaker.
«النصوص» · Source-Texts
[أبو حيان، التذييل والتكميل]
«إنما يستعملها المعظم نفسه في الغالب لأن له أتباعاً يذهبون إلى مذهبه, ولذلك أكثر ما توجد في كلام الملوك والعلماء, هي في الحقيقة للمتكلم ومعه غيره, وقد يستعملها وحده من حيث أنزل نفسه منزلة الجماعة»
[مسلم، صحيح مسلم]
«عليكم بالصدق. فإن الصدق يهدي إلى البر. وإن البر يهدي إلى الجنة»
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan. In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era. Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs. Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature. His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse. Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.
