بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Giving a Misleading Impression
(Nawawi:) Giving a misleading impression is among the most
important topics, being frequently met with and often abused.
It befits us to examine the matter closely, and whoever learns
of it should reflect upon it and apply it. Having previously
mentioned that lying is severely prohibited, and the danger
that exits in saying something without any particular intention,
what follows below shows a safe alternative to these.
Giving a misleading impression means to utter an expression
that seemingly implies one meaning, while intending a different
meaning the expression may also have , one that contradicts
the ostensive purport. It is a kind of deception.
It often takes the form of the speaker intending a specific
referent while the hearer understands a more general one,
as when a person asks a householder, ''Is So-and-so here?''
to which the householder, intending the space between
himself and the questioner rather than the space inside the
house, replies, ''He is not here.''
Scholars say that there is no harm in giving a misleading
impression if required by an interest countenanced by
Sacred Law that is more important than not misleading
the person being addressed, or if there is a pressing
need which could not otherwise be fulfilled except
through lying. When neither of these is the case, giving
a misleading impression is offensive though not haraam
(unlawful) unless used as a means for wrongful gain or
suppressing another's right, in which case it becomes
haraam. The above determine its permissibility. As for
the hadith evidence, some of which permits it and some
of which does not, it is to be interpreted in the light of
the criteria.
Verifying One's Words Before Speaking
Allah Most High says :
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَالَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ اِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ
Extracts from
Ahmad ibn Naqib al- Misri
Reliance of the Traveller
Tran .. Nuh Ha mim Keller
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Giving a Misleading Impression
(Nawawi:) Giving a misleading impression is among the most
important topics, being frequently met with and often abused.
It befits us to examine the matter closely, and whoever learns
of it should reflect upon it and apply it. Having previously
mentioned that lying is severely prohibited, and the danger
that exits in saying something without any particular intention,
what follows below shows a safe alternative to these.
Giving a misleading impression means to utter an expression
that seemingly implies one meaning, while intending a different
meaning the expression may also have , one that contradicts
the ostensive purport. It is a kind of deception.
It often takes the form of the speaker intending a specific
referent while the hearer understands a more general one,
as when a person asks a householder, ''Is So-and-so here?''
to which the householder, intending the space between
himself and the questioner rather than the space inside the
house, replies, ''He is not here.''
Scholars say that there is no harm in giving a misleading
impression if required by an interest countenanced by
Sacred Law that is more important than not misleading
the person being addressed, or if there is a pressing
need which could not otherwise be fulfilled except
through lying. When neither of these is the case, giving
a misleading impression is offensive though not haraam
(unlawful) unless used as a means for wrongful gain or
suppressing another's right, in which case it becomes
haraam. The above determine its permissibility. As for
the hadith evidence, some of which permits it and some
of which does not, it is to be interpreted in the light of
the criteria.
Verifying One's Words Before Speaking
Allah Most High says :
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَالَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ اِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ
وَالفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَاءِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْءُولًا
And follow not that of which you have no
knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the
sight, and the heart of each of those ones
will be questioned (by Allah).
Al-Isra (17) : 36مَّا يَلفِظُ مِن قَ ولٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِبٌ عَتِيدٌ
Not a word does he (or she) utter but there
is a watcher by him ready (to record it).
Qaf (50) : 18The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,
''It is lying enough for a man to repeat
everything he hears.''
Extracts from
Ahmad ibn Naqib al- Misri
Reliance of the Traveller
Tran .. Nuh Ha mim Keller
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