<b>Guidance from the Hadith:</b><br> 1) It encourages committing to truthfulness at all times because it is the cause of every good. It warns against lying and against taking it lightly because it is the cause of every evil.<br> 2) Lying is prohibited and it is absolutely impermissible to lie even for the sake of joking or jesting. What laymen call a 'white lie' is also prohibited because all lying is black and incurs evil on oneself as well as on the people around him. The only exemption to lying is the type classified as permissible by the Lawgiver.<br> <br> <b>Benefit:</b><br> There are reported situations where the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) permitted lying for a greater interest. They are as follows:<br> 1) during war;<br> 2) when reconciling among people;<br> 3) and in what the wife tells her husband and what he tells her.<br> These situations are listed in the Hadith reported by Um Kulthūm bint ‘Uqbah: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) permitted lying in three situations only: in war, in reconciling among people, and in what a man says to his wife.” In another version of the Hadith: “... and in what the husband says to his wife and what the wife says to her husband.” [Narrated by Ahmad]<br> <br> <b>Words in the Hadith:</b><br> Birr: an umbrella term comprising all aspects of good.<br> Fujūr: evil deeds.