Islam, Lying, and the "Golden Rule" - Granite Grok

Islam, Lying, and the “Golden Rule”

Shariah versus the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Did you know that Islam has a different worldview than you probably do? Did you know Islamic ethics allow deception? That’s right; sacred deception is a part of Islamic ethics. The term for it is: “Taqiyya.” Here are some ethical rules from the Hadith.


• Muslims do not cheat another Muslim in business, one Muslim does not kill another Muslim, Muslims do not touch another Muslim’s wife and one Muslim does not lie to another Muslim.

The golden rule and Islam

There is something here which is important to grasp. There is no mention of you and me. We are left out of Islamic ethics. The reason we are left out is because Islam is not a symmetric ethical system. We are not Muslim, as non-believers we are not worthy of equal treatment. Now what does that mean? Well, the golden rule is symmetric.

The golden rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” There’s a balance. It applies equally to all. You and the other are held to be equal. In Islam, you and I are Kafirs; we are most likely, non-believers. For that fact alone we are never equal to the Muslim. Islam does not have a golden rule. The Kafir is always inferior, not allowed respect, freedom and the rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. Know it; understand it. Are you clear about the position of Islam on lying and the golden rule?

So if we are not the equal of a Muslim; what, if any effect does that have on the Islamic perception of lying and deception. Allah has 99 names and one of those 99 names is he is the best of deceivers. Allah is also the best of plotters and schemers. So it isn’t too surprising that we find in Koran 16:106:

“Those who disbelieve in Allah after having believed, who open up their hearts to disbelief will feel the wrath of Allah and have a terrible punishment… But there is no punishment for anyone who is compelled to deny Allah in words but whose heart is faithful.”

Friends serving Islam

That means apostates can be killed or otherwise punished. Then the Koran goes further saying a Muslim can lie about Islam if it serves Islam, if it advances the interests of Islam. One of the ways the Muslim can serve Islam is ensuring Muslims are not discriminated against.

In Koran 3:28 it says: “Believers should not take Kafirs as friends in preference to other believers. Whoever does this shall have no relationship left with Allah… unless you but guard yourself against them, taking precautions.”
In other words, if you’re a friend to a Kafir, you’re no longer friend of Allah. It is fine to appear friendly. What this is interpreted to mean is that a Muslim can act friendly but he’s not actually the friend of any non-believer.

A Muslim may never give preference to a Kafir over a Muslim. There are no less than 12 verses which say that a Muslim is not the friend of the Kafir. Does that seem right to you? Know it; understand it.
Now from the Hadith 4:270:

“Mohammed: ‘Who will kill Ka’b bin Ashraf who has offended Allah and his prophet?’
A Muslim: ‘I will Mohammed. Would you have me do so?’
Mohammed: ‘Yes.’
A Muslim: ‘In order to kill him, I will need to deceive him. May I do that?’
Mohammed: ‘Yes.’”

So, the Muslim deceived Ka’b bin Ashraf and he did kill him. This is the Sunna of Mohammed. It is possible to lie to the Kafir when it advances Islam. This is the nature of Taqiyya. Are you clear about the position of Islam on lying and the golden rule?

Forms of deception

The Hadith makes it clear that Muslims are allowed to lie to unbelievers in order to defeat them or protect themselves. There are several forms:
• Taqiyya – Saying something that isn’t true as it relates to the Muslim identity. This is a Shiite term: the Sunni counterpart is Muda’rat.
• Kitman – Lying by omission. An example would be when Muslim apologists quote only a fragment of verse 5:32 (that if anyone kills “it shall be as if he had killed all mankind”) while neglecting to mention that the rest of the verse (and the next) mandate murder in undefined cases of “corruption” and “mischief.”
• Tawriya – Intentionally creating a false impression.
• Muruna – ‘Blending in’ by setting aside some practices of Islam or Sharia in order to advance others.

Reasons to lie

There’s a hadith, a fairly well-known hadith, in which there are three reasons for Muslims to lie:
• Jihad, that is the struggle against the Kafir. So a Muslim can lie anytime he needs to advance Islam.
• A Muslim a lie to another Muslim if it will make the situation better.
• A husband and wife may lie to each other as long as it smooths the relationships in the household.

Deception is part of Islam. Allah is a deceiver. Mohammed was a deceiver. Therefore, every Muslim can be a deceiver. It is so integral to Islam it has a name, Taqiyya.

The next time you’re hearing something about Islam that just doesn’t sound correct, and it is coming from the mouth of a Muslim, listen to that inner voice. You’re probably right; it’s not correct. It’s probably a lie. It is Taqiyya. It is a part of what makes Islam different. Are you clear about the position of Islam on lying and the golden rule?

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