07/09/2025
Is lying worse than zina?
The basic principle is that zina is worse than telling lies , hence sins are mentioned in decreasing order of gravity, after the sins of ascribing partners to Allah (shirk) and murder, in the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual in*******se and whoever does this shall receive the punishment” [al-Furqan 25:68].
With regard to zina , there is the prescription of punishment in this world (the hadd punishment), and the warning of punishment in the Hereafter, such as is not mentioned in the case of lying.
When can lying be worse than zina?
However, some kinds of lying are worse than zina and other major sins, such as telling lies against Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say: ‘Verily, those who invent lies against Allah will never be successful’” [Yunus 10:69]
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, in the mutawatir hadith: “Whoever tells a lie against me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.”
With regard to saying that lying as a whole is worse than zina, this is incorrect, let alone saying that it is worse than committing zina seventy times (“seventy fornications”), the least of which is fornication with one’s mother. This is among the silliest of notions and most obvious of lies, and is impossible!
Authenticity of the hadith ‘Can a believer tell lies?’
With regard to the report narrated by Ibn ‘Asakir in his Tarikh (27/241) from ‘Abdullah ibn Jarad – according to which he asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him: O Prophet of Allah, can a believer commit zina? And he said: “That may happen.”
He said: Can a believer steal? He said: “That may happen.”
He said: Can a believer tell lies? He said” No; rather lies are fabricated by those who do not believe”–
This is a false hadith. Its isnad includes Ya‘la ibn al-Ashdaq. Ibn Hibban said: They fabricated hadiths for him and he narrated them without realizing. Abu Zar‘ah said: He is nothing; he does not tell the truth. (Mizan al-I‘tidal, 4/475)
It was mentioned by al-Albani in ad-Da‘ifah (5521), where he said: It is da‘if (weak).
Something similar may be said about the hadith of Safwan ibn Sulaym: It was said to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Can a believer be a coward?
He said: “Yes.”
It was said to him: Can a believer be a miser?
He said: “Yes.”
It was said to him: Can a believer be a liar?
He said: “No.” Narrated by Malik (3630). It is mursal, and was classed as da‘if by al-Albani in Da‘if at-Targhib wa’t-Tarhib (1752).
For more, please see these categories:
Bad Behavior
Sins of the tongue
And Allah knows best.
Reference Source: Islam Q&A
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