War is deceit? Lie to unbelievers?


War is deceit? Lie to unbelievers?

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR

The statement โ€œwar is deceitโ€ was said by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the context of misdirecting enemy troops as he fought in defense of his community. Does this mean Muslims can lie to advance Islam?

Abdur Rahman ibn Kaโ€™b reported:

ูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุฅูุฐูŽุง ุฃูŽุฑูŽุงุฏูŽ ุบูŽุฒู’ูˆูŽุฉู‹ ูˆูŽุฑูŽู‘ู‰ ุบูŽูŠู’ุฑูŽู‡ูŽุง ูˆูŽูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ูŠูŽู‚ููˆู„ู ุงู„ู’ุญูŽุฑู’ุจู ุฎูŽุฏู’ุนูŽุฉูŒ

When the Prophet intended to go on an expedition, he would pretend to go somewhere else and he would say, โ€œWar is deception.โ€

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 2637, Grade:ย Sahih=Authentic

This is not lying to advance an Islamic cause, rather it is employing classical military tactics used by armies for centuries. Dr. Joseph Caddell, professor of military history at North Carolina State University, acknowledges that warfare has always involved tactics of deception. Dr. Caddellย writes:

Deception in warfare is probably as old as armed conflict itself. The logic of confusing an adversary is obvious, and the rewards can be realized very quickly.

However, this is only during a declared state of war. In contrast, it is a major sin for a Muslim to act treacherously or deceptively regarding covenants, treaties, and agreements.

Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

ุฅูุฐูŽุง ุฌูŽู…ูŽุนูŽ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุงู„ุฃูŽูˆูŽู‘ู„ููŠู†ูŽ ูˆูŽุงู„ุขุฎูุฑููŠู†ูŽ ูŠูŽูˆู’ู…ูŽ ุงู„ู’ู‚ููŠูŽุงู…ูŽุฉู ูŠูุฑู’ููŽุนู ู„ููƒูู„ูู‘ ุบูŽุงุฏูุฑู ู„ููˆูŽุงุกูŒ ููŽู‚ููŠู„ูŽ ู‡ูŽุฐูู‡ู ุบูŽุฏู’ุฑูŽุฉู ููู„ุงูŽู†ู ุจู’ู†ู ููู„ุงูŽู†ู

When Allah gathers together the earlier and later generations on the Day of Resurrection, He will raise a banner for every treacherous person and it will be announced that this is the treachery of this person, the son of this person.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1735, Grade:ย Sahih=Authentic

The general rule is that a Muslim is required to tell the truth. Deception and lies are among the major sins.

Abdullah ibn Masโ€™ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

ุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ุตูู‘ุฏู’ู‚ูŽ ูŠูŽู‡ู’ุฏููŠ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู’ุจูุฑูู‘ ูˆูŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู’ุจูุฑูŽู‘ ูŠูŽู‡ู’ุฏููŠ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู’ุฌูŽู†ูŽู‘ุฉู ูˆูŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุฌูู„ูŽ ู„ูŽูŠูŽุตู’ุฏูู‚ู ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ูŠููƒู’ุชูŽุจูŽ ุตูุฏูู‘ูŠู‚ู‹ุง ูˆูŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู’ูƒูŽุฐูุจูŽ ูŠูŽู‡ู’ุฏููŠ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู’ููุฌููˆุฑู ูˆูŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู’ููุฌููˆุฑูŽ ูŠูŽู‡ู’ุฏููŠ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู†ูŽู‘ุงุฑู ูˆูŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุฌูู„ูŽ ู„ูŽูŠูŽูƒู’ุฐูุจู ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ูŠููƒู’ุชูŽุจูŽ ูƒูŽุฐูŽู‘ุงุจู‹ุง

Verily, truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man may speak the truth until he is recorded with Allah as truthful. Verily, lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Hellfire. A man may tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2607, Grade:ย 

Aisha reported:

ู…ูŽุง ูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุฎูู„ูู‚ูŒ ุฃูŽุจู’ุบูŽุถูŽ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุฑูŽุณููˆู„ู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุตูŽู„ูŽู‘ู‰ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุนูŽู„ูŽูŠู’ู‡ู ูˆูŽุณูŽู„ูŽู‘ู…ูŽ ู…ูู†ู’ ุงู„ู’ูƒูŽุฐูุจู ูˆูŽู„ูŽู‚ูŽุฏู’ ูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุฌูู„ู ูŠูุญูŽุฏูู‘ุซู ุนูู†ู’ุฏูŽ ุงู„ู†ูŽู‘ุจููŠูู‘ ุตูŽู„ูŽู‘ู‰ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุนูŽู„ูŽูŠู’ู‡ู ูˆูŽุณูŽู„ูŽู‘ู…ูŽ ุจูุงู„ู’ูƒูุฐู’ุจูŽุฉู ููŽู…ูŽุง ูŠูŽุฒูŽุงู„ู ูููŠ ู†ูŽูู’ุณูู‡ู ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ูŠูŽุนู’ู„ูŽู…ูŽ ุฃูŽู†ูŽู‘ู‡ู ู‚ูŽุฏู’ ุฃูŽุญู’ุฏูŽุซูŽ ู…ูู†ู’ู‡ูŽุง ุชูŽูˆู’ุจูŽุฉู‹

There was no behavior more hateful to the Messenger of Allah than lying. A man would lie when narrating something in the presence of the Prophet and he would not be satisfied until he knew that he had repented.

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1973, Grade:ย Hasan=Good

This applies to non-Muslims as well, as the Prophet informed us that he would testify on the Day of Judgment on behalf of any peaceful non-Muslim against any Muslim who oppressed them.

Sufwan ibn Saleem reported: A number of the companions said the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

ุฃูŽู„ูŽุง ู…ูŽู†ู’ ุธูŽู„ูŽู…ูŽ ู…ูุนูŽุงู‡ูุฏู‹ุง ุฃูŽูˆู’ ุงู†ู’ุชูŽู‚ูŽุตูŽู‡ู ุฃูŽูˆู’ ูƒูŽู„ูŽู‘ููŽู‡ู ููŽูˆู’ู‚ูŽ ุทูŽุงู‚ูŽุชูู‡ู ุฃูŽูˆู’ ุฃูŽุฎูŽุฐูŽ ู…ูู†ู’ู‡ู ุดูŽูŠู’ุฆู‹ุง ุจูุบูŽูŠู’ุฑู ุทููŠุจู ู†ูŽูู’ุณู ููŽุฃูŽู†ูŽุง ุญูŽุฌููŠุฌูู‡ู ูŠูŽูˆู’ู…ูŽ ุงู„ู’ู‚ููŠูŽุงู…ูŽุฉู

If anyone wrongs a person protected by a covenant, violates his rights, burdens him with more work than he is able to do, or takes something from him without his consent, then I will plead for him on the Day of Resurrection.

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 3052, Grade:ย Sahih=Authentic

This even applies when treachery would result in a military advantage for the Muslims. The companions of the Prophet would strictly uphold their peace treaties and they held their leaders accountable for breaking them.

Sulaym ibn Amir reported: There was a peace treaty between Muawiya and the Byzantines. He was marching towards their country and when the covenant came to an end, he would attack them. A man came on a horse, saying, โ€œAllah is Most Great! Allah is Most Great! Let there be faithfulness and not treachery!โ€ Muawiya sent for him and questioned him about that. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say:

ู…ูŽู†ู’ ูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุจูŽูŠู’ู†ูŽู‡ู ูˆูŽุจูŽูŠู’ู†ูŽ ู‚ูŽูˆู’ู…ู ุนูŽู‡ู’ุฏูŒ ููŽู„ูŽุง ูŠูŽุญูู„ูŽู‘ู†ูŽู‘ ุนูŽู‡ู’ุฏู‹ุง ูˆูŽู„ูŽุง ูŠูŽุดูุฏูŽู‘ู†ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ูŠูŽู…ู’ุถููŠูŽ ุฃูŽู…ูŽุฏูู‡ู ุฃูŽูˆู’ ูŠูŽู†ู’ุจูุฐูŽ ุฅูู„ูŽูŠู’ู‡ูู…ู’ ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ุณูŽูˆูŽุงุกู

When one has a covenant with people he must not strengthen or loosen it until its term comes to an end or he brings it to an end in agreement with them.

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1580, Grade: Sahih=Authentic

In this example, the companions prevented the Caliph Muโ€™awiya from marching his army toward the Romans in an attempt to surprise attack them when the peace treaty expired. Marching for war was considered an act of war that was initiated before the expiration of the treaty. Therefore, Muโ€™awiya returned with his armies.

Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to lie in order to advance an Islamic or political cause. Rather, truthfulness is an Islamic virtue that leads to Paradise and we are called upon to be truthful with all people.

Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.

Credit Abu Amina