Deception for the Sake of Allah?

Islam's Complicated Relationship with the Truth

When it comes to ethics and morality, most people would rank truthfulness very high among the values they would like to aspire to. Islam's relationship with truth and truthfulness is rather complex but we can, at the very least, say that Muslims are not required to tell the truth under all circumstances and that deceit is sometimes actively encouraged.

This is the case because Muhammad advocated a system of ethics where the guiding question is: ‘What will be good for Islam in these circumstances?’ The guiding question is, therefore, not ‘What is true’? Because of this it is perfectly permissible to tell lies and half-truths, especially if they are told to non-Muslims, if this can serve the interests of Islam.

The principle of using deception to further Islamic interests is very firmly established in the Qur’an. The following texts form the basis for the doctrine of taqiyya (dissimulation or deception) as an acceptable part of Islamic morality:

“Anyone who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters Unbelief, - except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith - but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty.” (Qur’an 16:106) This verse establishes the principle that a Muslim can lie about being a Muslim if he believes that he will be harmed if his Muslim identity becomes known. Qur’an 40:28 provides an example of someone who hid his faith in this way.

This principle is, as we shall see, extended in the Hadiths to what might be termed offensive deception, gaining people’s trust by pretending not to be a Muslim and then harming them.

For example: “[This is] An announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage, - that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. (Qur'an 9:3) This verse is breathtaking in its cynicism. Solemn treaties, probably sworn in the name of Allah are simply dissolved by declaring that Allah and Muhammad are free of obligations to unbelievers. This establishes the principle that treaties, oaths and promises need only be kept if they are advantageous to Muslims. If an advantage can be gained by disregarding such obligations, the opportunity should be taken to do so for the sake of Islam.

Muslims are, furthermore, assured that Allah will not hold “thoughtlessness in oaths” against them. (Qur’an 2:225)

The Qur’an furthermore states: Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them. (Qur’an 3:28) This is the infamous verse whereby Muslims are commanded not to befriend non-Muslims. There is one important exception, however. They can befriend them “by way of precaution” as a means of “guarding against them.” This text is widely interpreted as teaching that Muslims are allowed to pretend that they are friends with non-Muslims as a means of safeguarding their own position in society.

What all the verses quoted above have in common is that they teach Muslims that truth is not something fixed, but that lies, and deception may sometimes be employed for the good of Islam. This conclusion is strongly confirmed in the Hadiths where plenty of examples are presented of Muslims being praised for deceitful actions that strengthened the Muslim cause. Some examples:

Sahih Bukhari (52:269) quotes Muhammad as saying “War is deceit”. The following Hadiths then go on to show how the principle of using deceit in war can be applied. Sahih Bukhari (52:271) is particularly revealing: “The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka'b bin Ashraf (i.e., a Jew)." Muhammad bin Maslama replied, "Do you like me to kill him?" The Prophet replied in the affirmative. Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say what I like." The Prophet replied, "I do (i.e., allow you)." Note carefully what happened here: One of Muhammad’s followers asked for permission to lie, and it is immediately granted to him.

What happened next is described in Sahih Bukhari (53:369). Bin Maslama goes to the person marked for death by Muhammad and pretends that he is deeply disillusioned by the ‘prophet’. In this way, he gained the person’s trust and was admitted into his inner circle. After the ‘friendship’ was firmly established, Maslama asked Ka’b whether he could smell the perfume on his head, an act that could only take place between trusted friends. Trusting his ‘friend’, Ka’b allows this and is immediately grabbed and killed! “War is deceit” indeed.

Muhammad allowed his followers to enter into peace treaties on the basis of false information. This principle is stated in Sahih Bukhari 49:857: “Narrated Um Kulthum bint Uqba: That she heard Allah's Apostle saying, "He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar."

The idea that it is perfectly acceptable to lie under certain circumstances was not only applied to relations with non-Muslims. Husbands and wives are also allowed to lie to each other for the sake of their relationship. How this kind of deception will lead to good outcomes is not explained: “Ibn Shihab said he did not hear that exemption was granted in anything what the people speak as lie but in three cases: in battle, for bringing reconciliation amongst persons and the narration of the words of the husband to his wife, and the narration of the words of a wife to her husband (in a twisted form in order to bring reconciliation between them).” (Sahih Muslim 33:3603)

The quotations from the texts of Islam presented above must leave the distinct impression that the relationship between Islamic teaching and the concept of truth is, at the very least, complicated. What are we supposed to make of a religion that claims to be a way of virtue but whose followers are encouraged to lie and deceive to serve the purposes of that religion?

For much more on some of the troubling teachings of Islam, please see my book ‘Questioning Islam - Tough Questions and Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion’.

Kind regards,

Peter

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