What to do if your parents try to enforce you to lie?

Question

Assalamualaikum, All Praise and Glory is to Allah swt. May Allah swt grant forgiveness to my parents as they had mercy upon me when I was young. Ameen.

My parents have an interview, in which they are asking me to lie for them. They tell me its okay to lie for the greater good because a good outcome of this interview will benefit them. If I refuse my mother will probably cry and accuse me of being a bad daughter. I don't know what to do in these situations and hurting your parents is grave in Islam. I have been trying to mend things with my mother especially since we use to argue alot and she has severe depression from some of what she's been through in life.

What should I say to them? If I lie for them will there be sin upon me?

Answer 1

Assalam,

Asma’ bint Yazeed said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Lying is not permitted except in three cases: a man’s speaking to his wife to make her happy; lying at times of war; and lying in order to reconcile between people.’” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 1862; he said: it is a hasan hadeeth. See also Saheeh Muslim, 4717) Source

Based on the above hadith, you should be able to decide if you're in any of the fore mentioned situations. If not, you should refrain from lying. What you should say to your parents if you do not intend to lie is out of scope here.