Kadhib
Definition
Kadhib — lying — is the deliberate communication of what one knows to be false, and al-Ghazali presents it as one of the foundational tongue-sins from which many others derive their force. He distinguishes different degrees: the white lie (socially normalised but spiritually corrosive), the strategic lie (calculated for personal advantage), and the lie that destroys reputations or relationships (approaching buhtan). He also discusses the limited contexts in which the scholars have permitted untruth: preventing a greater harm, reconciling between people in conflict, and the permitted softening of the truth in speech between spouses. But these are genuine exceptions, not loopholes to be exploited.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
1 book in the library
Hear the term in context.
Every book above uses Kadhib the way the classical scholars meant it. Listen with the full Study Kit in the app.