Speaking lies

Q: I never do very well as I normally do in my exams and due to fear of my father, I had forged some of my results and made them higher to present to my father. When I was doing this action I had the frame of mind that by doing so, this deception is allowed because I am preventing any harm to family ties between myself and my father. I do not know if my thinking has any basis on this 'white lying' notion.

(1) Have I committed haraam and just made everything worse with Allah Ta'ala by justifying and 'halaalizing' the wrong?

(2) If so, is my foolish act of 'justifying' it to myself tantamount to kufr?

(3) In addition to Taubah, if I have committed a wrong, is it necessary to reveal my proper results to my father? This incident happened about two months ago.

A: If your father was over playing his role in oppressing you or being over aggressive towards you and this was the only way to guard yourself against his oppression and aggression then it will be permissible to defend yourself in some dignified way even if it was by some type of a white lie that you had to speak.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)