🤍 Character & conduct between spouses · #4
May a husband or wife tell a 'white lie' to spare their spouse's feelings?
Islam gives limited leeway for words that strengthen the love between husband and wife, but not for deceiving in matters of rights and responsibilities.
The Prophet ﷺ said that the one who reconciles people is not a liar, and gave a concession in three situations, including what a husband says to his wife and a wife to her husband (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa as-Silah wa al-Adab; Sahih al-Bukhari 2692). Scholars explain that this refers to sweet words and sparing feelings — for example praising the cooking. It does not permit hiding another marriage, debts, or denying the right to maintenance. In polygyny, hiding a new marriage from an existing wife may break the law. See Approaches to persuasion.
The Prophet ﷺ said that the one who reconciles people is not a liar, and gave a concession in three situations, including what a husband says to his wife and a wife to her husband (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa as-Silah wa al-Adab; Sahih al-Bukhari 2692). Scholars explain that this refers to sweet words and sparing feelings — for example praising the cooking. It does not permit hiding another marriage, debts, or denying the right to maintenance. In polygyny, hiding a new marriage from an existing wife may break the law. See Approaches to persuasion.
Sources
Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa as-Silah wa al-AdabSahih al-Bukhari 2692