Turaabie
11th May 2007, 03:21 PM
Imam Nawawi in his Adhkar (chpt. Ta`ridh wa’l-Tawriyya) said, ‘Ghazali said, “A case of prohibited lying that often leads to transgression is he habit of exaggeration such as someone saying, ‘I’ve told you a hundred times,’ or ‘I’ve called you a hundred times!’ Such phrases are expressed to give the sense of emphasis and are not used to identify an actual number. Therefore if he only called him once, such a phrase would be counted as a lie; however, if he called him many times, beyond what is viewed to be the norm, he is not sinful for saying such a phrase, even if he has not actually called him one hundred times. Between these two cases are many levels wherein a person exaggerating could well have fallen into lying.” I say: the proof that exaggeration [in such an instance] is permissible and is not counted as a case of lying is what has been reported to us in the Two Saheehs that the Prophet (SAW) said, “As for Abu Jahm, his stick never leaves his shoulder, and as for Mu`awiyah, he has no property,” whereas it is known that (Mu`awiyah) did have clothes and (Abu Jahm) did lower his stick when he went to sleep and at other times. With Allah lies the divine accord.’
So in this case the Prophet (SAW) would have used a form of exaggeration because both things expressed were beyond what was viewed to be the form and hence in this case would be permissible.
(Source: Abu Rumaysah)
So in this case the Prophet (SAW) would have used a form of exaggeration because both things expressed were beyond what was viewed to be the form and hence in this case would be permissible.
(Source: Abu Rumaysah)