The "lies" of Ibrahim for the sake of Allah

Abraham did not tell a lie except on three occasion. Twice for the Sake of Allah when he said, "I am sick," and he said, "(I have not done this but) the big idol has done it." The (third was) that while Abraham and Sarah (his wife) were going (on a journey) they passed by (the territory of) a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant, "This man (i.e. Abraham) is accompanied by a very charming lady." So, he sent for Abraham and asked him about Sarah saying, "Who is this lady?" Abraham said, "She is my sister." Abraham went to Sarah and said, "O Sarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister, so don't contradict my statement." The tyrant then called Sarah and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff and) he was confounded. He asked Sarah. "Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm you." So Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but (his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and) was more confounded. He again requested Sarah, "Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you." Sarah asked Allah again and he became alright. He then called one of his guards (who had brought her) and said, "You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil." The tyrant then gave Hajar as a girl-servant to Sarah. Sarah came back (to Abraham) while he was praying. Abraham, gesturing with his hand, asked, "What has happened?" She replied, "Allah has spoiled the evil plot of the infidel (or immoral person) and gave me Hajar for service." (Abu Huraira then addressed his listeners saying, "That (Hajar) was your mother, O Bani Ma-is-Sama (i.e. the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, Hajar's son).  

لَمْ يَكْذِبْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ إِلاَّ ثَلاَثَ كَذَبَاتٍ ثِنْتَيْنِ مِنْهُنَّ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ ﷻ قَوْلُهُ {إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ } وَقَوْلُهُ {بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا} وَقَالَ بَيْنَا هُوَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَسَارَةُ إِذْ أَتَى عَلَى جَبَّارٍ مِنَ الْجَبَابِرَةِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ هَا هُنَا رَجُلاً مَعَهُ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قَالَ أُخْتِي فَأَتَى سَارَةَ قَالَ يَا سَارَةُ لَيْسَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ مُؤْمِنٌ غَيْرِي وَغَيْرُكِ وَإِنَّ هَذَا سَأَلَنِي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّكِ أُخْتِي فَلاَ تُكَذِّبِينِي فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ ذَهَبَ يَتَنَاوَلُهَا بِيَدِهِ فَأُخِذَ فَقَالَ ادْعِي اللَّهَ لِي وَلاَ أَضُرُّكِ فَدَعَتِ اللَّهَ فَأُطْلِقَ ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَهَا الثَّانِيَةَ فَأُخِذَ مِثْلَهَا أَوْ أَشَدَّ فَقَالَ ادْعِي اللَّهَ لِي وَلاَ أَضُرُّكِ فَدَعَتْ فَأُطْلِقَ فَدَعَا بَعْضَ حَجَبَتِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَأْتُونِي بِإِنْسَانٍ إِنَّمَا أَتَيْتُمُونِي بِشَيْطَانٍ فَأَخْدَمَهَا هَاجَرَ فَأَتَتْهُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ مَهْيَا قَالَتْ رَدَّ اللَّهُ كَيْدَ الْكَافِرِ أَوِ الْفَاجِرِ فِي نَحْرِهِ وَأَخْدَمَ هَاجَرَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ تِلْكَ أُمُّكُمْ يَا بَنِي مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ  

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) never told a lie but only thrice: two times for the sake of Allah (for example, his words): "I am sick," and his words: "But it was the big one amongst them which has done that" and because of Sara (his wife). He had come in a land inhabited by haughty and cruel men along with Sara. She was very good-looking amongst the people, so he said to her: If these people were to know that you are my wife they would snatch you away from me, so if they ask you tell them that you are my sister and in fact you are my sister in Islam, and I do not know of any other Muslim in this land besides I and you. And when they entered that land the tyrants came to see her and said to him (the king): 'There comes to your land a woman, whom you alone deserve to possess', so he (the king) sent someone (towards her) and she was brought to him, and Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood in prayer. When she visited him (the tyrant king came) he could help but stretch his hand towards her and his hand was tied up. He said: 'Supplicate to Allah so that He may release my hand and I will do no harm to you.' She did that and the man repeated (the same highhandedness) and his hand was again tied up more tightly than on the first occasion. He said the same thing to her again, and she again did that (supplicated), but he repeated (the same highhandedness and his hands were tied up more tightly than on the previous occasion). He then again said: 'Supplicate your Lord so that He may set my hand free; by Allah I shall do no harm to you.' She did and his hand was freed. Then he called the person who had brought her and said to him: 'You have brought to me the satan and you have not brought to me a human being, so turn them out from my land,' and he gave Hajar as a gift to her. She returned (along with Hajar) and when Ibrahim (peace be upon him) saw her, he said: 'How have you returned?' She said: 'With full safety (have I returned). Allah held the hand of that debauch and he gave me a maid-servant.' Abu Huraira said: 'O sons of the rain of the sky, she is your mother.'  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَمْ يَكْذِبْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَطُّ إِلاَّ ثَلاَثَ كَذَبَاتٍ ثِنْتَيْنِ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ قَوْلُهُ { إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ} وَقَوْلُهُ { بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا} وَوَاحِدَةً فِي شَأْنِ سَارَةَ فَإِنَّهُ قَدِمَ أَرْضَ جَبَّارٍ وَمَعَهُ سَارَةُ وَكَانَتْ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ لَهَا إِنَّ هَذَا الْجَبَّارَ إِنْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّكِ امْرَأَتِي يَغْلِبْنِي عَلَيْكِ فَإِنْ سَأَلَكِ فَأَخْبِرِيهِ أَنَّكِ أُخْتِي فَإِنَّكِ أُخْتِي فِي الإِسْلاَمِ فَإِنِّي لاَ أَعْلَمُ فِي الأَرْضِ مُسْلِمًا غَيْرِي وَغَيْرَكِ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ أَرْضَهُ رَآهَا بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْجَبَّارِ أَتَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ لَقَدْ قَدِمَ أَرْضَكَ امْرَأَةٌ لاَ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا أَنْ تَكُونَ إِلاَّ لَكَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا فَأُتِيَ بِهَا فَقَامَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يَتَمَالَكْ أَنْ بَسَطَ يَدَهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقُبِضَتْ يَدُهُ قَبْضَةً شَدِيدَةً فَقَالَ لَهَا ادْعِي اللَّهَ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ يَدِي وَلاَ أَضُرُّكِ فَفَعَلَتْ فَعَادَ فَقُبِضَتْ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْقَبْضَةِ الأُولَى فَقَالَ لَهَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَفَعَلَتْ فَعَادَ فَقُبِضَتْ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْقَبْضَتَيْنِ الأُولَيَيْنِ فَقَالَ ادْعِي اللَّهَ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ يَدِي فَلَكِ اللَّهَ أَنْ لاَ أَضُرَّكِ فَفَعَلَتْ وَأُطْلِقَتْ يَدُهُ وَدَعَا الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّكَ إِنَّمَا أَتَيْتَنِي بِشَيْطَانٍ وَلَمْ تَأْتِنِي بِإِنْسَانٍ فَأَخْرِجْهَا مِنْ أَرْضِي وَأَعْطِهَا هَاجَرَ قَالَ فَأَقْبَلَتْ تَمْشِي فَلَمَّا رَآهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ انْصَرَفَ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَهْيَمْ قَالَتْ خَيْرًا كَفَّ اللَّهُ يَدَ الْفَاجِرِ وَأَخْدَمَ خَادِمًا قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَتِلْكَ أُمُّكُمْ يَا بَنِي مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ  

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) never told a lie but only thrice: two times for the sake of Allah (for example, his words): "I am sick," and his words: "But it was the big one amongst them which has done that" and because of Sara (his wife). He had come in a land inhabited by haughty and cruel men along with Sara. She was very good-looking amongst the people, so he said to her: If these people were to know that you are my wife they would snatch you away from me, so if they ask you tell them that you are my sister and in fact you are my sister in Islam, and I do not know of any other Muslim in this land besides I and you. And when they entered that land the tyrants came to see her and said to him (the king): 'There comes to your land a woman, whom you alone deserve to possess', so he (the king) sent someone (towards her) and she was brought to him, and Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood in prayer. When she visited him (the tyrant king came) he could help but stretch his hand towards her and his hand was tied up. He said: 'Supplicate to Allah so that He may release my hand and I will do no harm to you.' She did that and the man repeated (the same highhandedness) and his hand was again tied up more tightly than on the first occasion. He said the same thing to her again, and she again did that (supplicated), but he repeated (the same highhandedness and his hands were tied up more tightly than on the previous occasion). He then again said: 'Supplicate your Lord so that He may set my hand free; by Allah I shall do no harm to you.' She did and his hand was freed. Then he called the person who had brought her and said to him: 'You have brought to me the satan and you have not brought to me a human being, so turn them out from my land,' and he gave Hajar as a gift to her. She returned (along with Hajar) and when Ibrahim (peace be upon him) saw her, he said: 'How have you returned?' She said: 'With full safety (have I returned). Allah held the hand of that debauch and he gave me a maid-servant.' Abu Huraira said: 'O sons of the rain of the sky, she is your mother.' (Using translation from Muslim 2371)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَمْ يَكْذِبْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ قَطُّ إِلَّا ثَلَاثَ كَذِبَاتٍ ثِنْتَيْنِ فِي ذَاتِ اللهِ قَوْلُهُ {إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ} [الصافات 89] وَقَوْلُهُ {بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا} [الأنبياء 63] وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي شَأْنِ سَارَةَ فَإِنَّهُ قَدِمَ أَرْضَ جَبَّارٍ وَمَعَهُ سَارَةُ وَكَانَتْ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ لَهَا إِنَّ هَذَا الْجَبَّارَ إِنْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّكِ امْرَأَتِي يَغْلِبْ عَلَيْكِ فَإِنْ سَأَلَكِ فَأَخْبِرِيهِ أَنَّكِ أُخْتِي فَإِنَّكِ أُخْتِي فِي الْإِسْلَامِ فَإِنِّي لَا أَعْلَمُ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْلِمًا غَيْرِي وَغَيْرَكِ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ أَرْضَهُ رَآهَا بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْجَبَّارِ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ لَقَدْ دَخَلَ أَرْضَكَ الْآنَ امْرَأَةٌ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَكُونَ إِلَّا لَكَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهَا فَأَتَى بِهَا وَقَامَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يَتَمَالَكْ أَنْ بَسَطَ يَدَهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقُبِضَتْ يَدُهُ قَبْضَةً شَدِيدَةً فَقَالَ لَهَا ادْعِي اللهَ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ يَدِيَّ وَلَا أَضُرُّكِ فَفَعَلَتْ فَعَادَ فَقُبِضَتْ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْقَبْضَةِ الْأُولَى فَقَالَ لَهَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَعَادَ فَقُبِضَتْ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْقَبْضَتَيْنِ الْأُولَيَيْنِ فَقَالَ ادْعِي اللهَ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ يَدِيَّ وَلَكِ اللهُ أَنْ لَا أَضُرُّكِ فَفَعَلَتْ فَأُطْلِقَتْ يَدُهُ وَدَعَا الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّكَ إِنَّمَا أَتَيْتَنِي بِشَيْطَانٍ وَلَمْ تَأْتِنِي بِإِنْسَانٍ فَأَخْرِجْهَا مِنْ أَرْضِي وَأَعْطِهَا هَاجَرَ قَالَ فَأَقْبَلَتْ تَمْشِي فَلَمَّا رَآهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ انْصَرَفَ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَهْيَمْ؟ فَقَالَتْ خَيْرًا كَفَّ اللهُ يَدَ الْفَاجِرِ وَأَخْدَمَ خَادِمًا قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ فَتِلْكَ أُمُّكُمْ يَا بَنِي مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ  

"لَمْ يَكْذِبْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ إِلَّا ثَلاثَ كَذِبَاتٍ: ثِنْتَينِ مِنْهُنَّ فِي ذَاتِ الله، قَوْلُهُ: "إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ" اهـ وَقَوْلُهُ: "بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُم هَذَا"، وَبَينَا هُوَ ذَاتَ يَوْم وَسَارَّةُ إِذْ أَتَى عَلَى جَبَّار مِن الْجَبَابِرَةَ، فَقِيلَ لَه: إنّ هَهُنا رَجُلًا معه امرأَةٌ من أَحْسَن النَّاس, فَأَرْسَل إِلَيهِ فَسَألَهُ عَنْهَا قَال: مَنْ هَذِه؟ قَال: أُخْتِي، فَأَتَى سَارَّةَ، فَقَال: يَا سَارَّةُ: لَيسَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الأَرْضِ مُؤمِنٌ غَيرى وغيرُكَ، وإنَّ هَذَا سَأَلَنِى فَأَخَبرْتُه أَنَّكِ أُخْتِي فَلَا تَكْذِبِينى. فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيهَا فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيهِ ذَهَبَ يَتَنَاوَلُهَا بِيَدهِ فَأُخذَ، فَقَال: ادْعى الله لي وَلَا أَضُرُّكِ، فَدَعَت الله فَأُطْلِقَ، ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَهَا ثَانِيَةً فَأُخِذَ مثْلَهَا أَوْ أَشَدَّ فَقَال: ادْعِى الله لِي وَلَا أَضُرُّكِ, فَدَعَتْ فَأُطْلِقَ, فَدَعَى بَعْضَ حَجَبَته فَقَال: إِنَّكَ لَمْ تَأْتِنِى بِإِنْسَانٍ، إِنَّمَا أَتَيتَنى بَشَيطَان, فَأَخدِمْهَا هَاجَرَ, فَأَتَتْهُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي، فَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ مَهيا، قَالتْ: رَدَّ الله كَيدَ الْفَاجِرِ في نَحْرِه، وَأَخْدَم هَاجَر".