Lying For a Good Cause
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Peace Meteora
In the Nazi example i think it wrong to tell the truth but perhaps depending on one's beliefs God may pardon.
In the second example i think it wrong to lie. Your trying prevent an argument. Even if you were trying to prevent the person from being upset, it's their right to know that their toothbrush has been used by someone else as they may not want to use that toothbrush anymore.
In most cases not lying is better but in some cases lying is better i think.
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Salaam
Really difficult to know.
I guess it must be weighed against the reason to lie. If you lie to save somebody's life, then it is crystal clear that you can lie through your teeth.
If it is to protect yourself from somebody getting angry with you, then it is not so ok to lie.
My dilemma comes when you lie to protect the one you are lying to. If you know that someone will be very hurt to know the truth, then are you to lie? For example, I catch my sister smoking. I know that my mum will be very upset if she finds out, and I can deal with my sister by myself. In fact, there is a better chance of her not smoking again if I do not tell mum. Then for some reason my mum suspects something and asks me if my sister has been smoking......What should I do? Lie for the greater good or be honest, no matter the consequences.
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I would say, "I do not know". Because you pledged silence to your sister, and if you say, I don't want to tell you, in fact you are telling her that she is smoking, because if she weren't you would say so. In fact it may formally be a lie, but you are weighing two wrongs against each other. If you know a way of avoiding them both, go for it. If you don't, you have to weigh one against the other. You my choose wrongly, but still no blame, because you did try to do what in all honesty you thought best.
Salaam
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I would say, "I do not know". Because you pledged silence to your sister, and if you say, I don't want to tell you, in fact you are telling her that she is smoking, because if she weren't you would say so. In fact it may formally be a lie, but you are weighing two wrongs against each other. If you know a way of avoiding them both, go for it. If you don't, you have to weigh one against the other. You my choose wrongly, but still no blame, because you did try to do what in all honesty you thought best.
Salaam
LOL! That was a very straightforward and easy answer confused
I got another one...........what if I have a very dangerous job, and not let my family worry about me I tell them it is not dangerous at all? I am lying to them, but only because I want them to not worry.
Wait, one more, this one is classic........What if your son or daughter breaks the law. Will you tell the police where they are hiding or will you protect your offspring? This can only be answered by a parent.
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This last one is a variation of the lesser evil too and reminds me of an argument regarding the death penalty What if it was oa son or a daughter of yours that was the one to be executed? If an offspring of mine were in such situation, I think I would have already been crushed by the thought of my offspring being a murderer (that is, if the death penalty was imposed legitimately). When we got to the execution I am simply unable to imagine, what it would be although I suppose I would still want my offspring to live in the hope that they would repent a regenerate. Or may be the inminence of execution would more effectively bring about such repentance and regeneration..?
So regarding the police and the offspring in hiding, I think one should weight all the pros and cons and try to get all possible favourable factors to work for the regeneration of the offspring, and if that regeneration was likely to come from handing him to the police try to convince the culprit to hand in him or herself, and... at any rate weight in the factors. I know of cases where serving jain did in fact help o bring people about to take conscience of their life and purpose.
Parents know that everything is not about softness, but also about trust against all odds that the person you love can deal with his or her life and that harshness, when applied, will help them, because it is a proof of trust.
Salaam
About the job... Somebody at least in your family should know, for prevision, for moral support, for knowledge of each other's sake. May be one shouldn't take that job up in the first place without consulting with the family. May be thera re other possibilities they would come up with and at the very least everybody would be prepared for eventualities, and these would not fall on them unawares.
Man, this is starting to look like a tv series with cascading tragedies... -[
Salaam
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http//drdivah.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/liar-liar-pants.jpg
Let me guess, Meteora used somebody's toothbrush, shamelessly lied about it and is now having a conscience! lol laugh
Regarding whether its acceptable or not, I'd agree that telling a lie for a good purpose has to be acceptable. And regarding what the Holy Quraan says, well Allah almighty teaches us in Sura Al-Nahl to LIE when it is necessary to save ourselves.
Those who disbelieve in GOD, after having acquired faith, and become fully content with disbelief, have incurred wrath from GOD. The only ones to be excused are those who are forced to utter disbelief, while their hearts are full of faith.
Peace.
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Man, this is starting to look like a tv series with cascading tragedies... -[
But TV is real, isn't it? (inserting bimbo icon)
This last one is a variation of the lesser evil too and reminds me of an argument regarding the death penalty
Yepp, it's a classic. They got this radio show here in Sweden called "the moral test". This question comes up all the time....
The latter with a dangerous job is very much true in my case. If my mother would really know how dangerous my job is it would send her to an early grave. Therefore, to spare her, I don't exactly lie to her but I make sure I never mention anything but boring and safe aspects of my job. If she confronted me I would lie to her, I love her too much to see her worry.
My wife knows, but she has just decided to not believe that it is dangerous. Kind of a self-defense mechanism I guess. Makes me a liar eventhough I am telling the truth.When it comes to lying there are so many "what if" scenarios. That is why I find it very interesting to find out if anyone has from the Quran made any sense of it, because I got no idea....
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If my mother would really know how dangerous my job is it would send her to an early grave.
Salaam Emil,
How u doin? GOD bless you remain safe at your work.
But now im really curious about the nature of the job you do.... hmmm hmmhttp//1.bp.blogspot.com/_1klTlbciqXY/Sia9DjH-MSI/AAAAAAAAAQM/kav8K9ovg_o/S692/James-Bond-Logo-Poster-C10053467.jpeg
Jst kiddin aroun' bro. D
Peace.
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Salaam Emil,
How u doin? GOD bless you remain safe at your work.
But now im really curious about the nature of the job you do.... hmmm hmmJames Bond can kiss my ass. I am a kindergarten teacher
http//www.glogster.com/media/3/6/68/56/6685635.jpg
Nah, just kidding. I build cargoships. Gotta watch your step, easy to get crushed/burned/electrified. As long as I am in Europe it's ok, but working in China or America &
Perhaps it is the simple realization that if you do follow Allah's will, your heart will be pure by default, meaning you will make the right decision when to lie or not? The only time a "righteous" person would rather die is when he is forced to disbelieve. Maybe Allah does not want you to die for such a cause, thus telling us to lie about it in 16106.
I don't know, I am only brainstorming here.... -
Salaam all,
Perhaps it is the simple realization that if you do follow Allah's will, your heart will be pure by default, meaning you will make the right decision when to lie or not? The only time a "righteous" person would rather die is when he is forced to disbelieve. Maybe Allah does not want you to die for such a cause, thus telling us to lie about it in 16106.
I don't know, I am only brainstorming here....It may be of help inshaAllah.
2157
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21642157 And by Allah, I will plan against your statues after you have gone away and given your backs.
2158 So he broke them into pieces except for the biggest of them, so that they may turn to him.
2159 They said Who has done this to our gods? He is surely one of the wicked.
2160 They said We heard a young man mentioning them. He was called Abraham.
2161 They said Bring him before the eyes of the people so that they may be witness.
2162 They said Did you do this to our gods O Abraham?
2163 He said It was the biggest one of them here who did it, so ask them, if they do speak!
2164 So they turned and said to themselves It is indeed ourselves who have been wicked!The reason was given in 2464 So, Allah called him
1941
1941 And recall in the Book, Abraham; he was a man of truth, a prophet.
You can also look at a trick of Yousuf (AS) in 1269-75
At the other side
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21028 And from the people are those who say We believe in Allah and in the Last Day, but they are not believers.
29 They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves without noticing.
210 In their hearts is a disease, so Allah increases their disease, and they will have a painful retribution for what they have lied.May Allah guide us all towards the truth pr
Mohammed M. Khan -
No, indeed it is better that you don tell your mother everything. But your wife should know, I think. At any rate it is a variant of choosing the less harmful alternative, and many things may intevene in making that appreciation.
On the other hand, to believe something that is false is always a shortchange, so basically we should always prefer truth, but where it harms it is very different to keep somebody from harm from cheating. Cheating is very, very wrong. And the wrongest cheating is the one one does on oneself.
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Lying in the cause of justice is justified. I'm pretty theres a verse in the Quran that actually says something on these lines.
The challenge is in the concept of justice. If person x is about to lie, they should ask themselves if their doing it in the cause of justice. Which is pretty much the same as the weighing thing as mentioned by others in the thread.But keep in mind that whilst you may want to lie to someone to not see them get hurt they may want the truth and it is their right to be given it. Unless someone else is involved. So in the sister example given on the thread, someone the sister is involved thus perhaps one can lie to the mother. But is this in the cause of justice....