Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Let your yes be yes...

There are three occasions when a Muslim is permitted to lie:

1) To keep his wife happy
2) To reconcile warring parties: say that Ahmad and Mahmood
are fighting, you can go to one and say that the other is really sorry
about what happened and that he wants to talk. Then you can go to the
other and say the same thing. The aim is reconciliation.
3) To
advance Islam: you may lie to gain an advantage for Islam over other
religions. Thus you might make false claims to the press about the
goals or nature of Islam, or regarding weapons or military questions.

Am working on this topic. It is called taqiyyi in Islamic jurisprudence, and I hope to write a longer article on the topic in the near future. The approach is considerably different than that taught by Jesus Christ, which insists on honesty at all times.

4 comments:

E. Twist said...

Can't wait to read what comes out of your study of this.

e.

Abu Daoud said...

Am currently taking a rather intense class on the Quran and it is challenging and, um, disturbing, to be honest.

The guy teaching this course did his MTh work on the comparison of Jesus' Ascension and the ascension of Muhammad into heaven on the night of power, when, by his intercession, Muslims were allows to pray only five times a day instead of 500--God's original command.

Will be in Jerusalem next month. I love that city...

René said...

Would you be so kind as to send me references on the topic in this post-on lying, as well as on the previous post-on Muslims outside the land of Islam? I would appreciate whatever you have, from the Koran or commentators. I hope this is not too much trouble. (I think my email address is available to you. I will check back)

Thank-you.

Abu Daoud said...

Hi Rene,

Am glad to be in touch with you. Your e-mail is not available to me through blogspot, please send me an e-mail at winterlightning at safe-mail do+ net.

Thank you.