Lying To Children
The hadith you mentioned emphasizes the importance of truthfulness, especially when dealing with children. However, Islamic scholars have discussed various exceptions and considerations. Some scholars, like Imam al-Ghazali, differentiate between “lying” (kadhib) and “metaphorical speech” (majaz). They argue that statements intended to comfort, educate, or protect children, without causing harm, may not be considered lies in the classical sense. Ghazali, suggests that the prohibition on lying is not absolute and that there may be situations where lying is permissible, such as: 1. To protect someone from harm (e.g., telling a child there’s a monster in the store room to prevent them from entering a hazardous area). 2. To maintain social harmony (e.g., telling a white lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings). 3. In situations where truthfulness would lead to greater harm (e.g., lying to a child to calm them down and prevent them from harming themselves). May Allah guide us all to the truth and grant us wisdom in our interactions with others, especially children.