Fatwa

  1. Fatwa
  2. Etiquettes, Morals, Thikr and Du'aa'
  3. Practices Muslims Should Avoid
  4. Lying, cheating, and related rulings

Lying is impermissible without dire need
Fatwa No: 234436

Question

Is it ok to put wrong information in paypal, for exmaple, i put my previous usa address in the address bar bcuz it only asked for the usa address without anything of it being the present or the past. I also entered indian nationality in the nationality tab while I'm pakistani but I thought since before 1947 we were apart of the greater india so the info wasn't wrong. Is this haram?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.

Lying is informing about something contrary to its reality, and you lied in regard to what you did, both in regard to registering the old address – if it is not active and they cannot get in touch with you through it – or in regard to registering a nationality other than your own.

Lying is not permissible except in case of necessity or a dire need as we have already clarified in Fatwa 84728.

So if you were not in necessity or a dire need, then it seems – and Allaah Knows best – that what you did is not permissible.

Allaah Knows best.

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