A Research-Based Analysis of the Ḥadīth Regarding the “Lies” of Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Kitāb al-ʿAqāʾid, p. 111
✍ Answered for: Muhammad Arslan Sattar, Rawalpindi
In our school class, there has been a lot of discussion lately about a ḥadīth from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī concerning “Kadhabāt Ibrāhīm عليه السلام” (the so-called lies of Prophet Ibrāhīm).
Some object to this ḥadīth, arguing that the Qur’ān describes Ibrāhīm عليه السلام as “ṣiddīqā nabiyyā” (a truthful prophet), while this ḥadīth appears to attribute falsehood to him. Based on this, some go as far as rejecting this ḥadīth and questioning the status of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī as “the most authentic book after the Book of Allah.”
Please provide a detailed clarification and explanation of this ḥadīth to clarify the truth of the matter.
The ḥadīth describing “three statements” made by Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام is recorded in multiple authentic compilations and transmitted through multiple Ṣaḥābah, including:
Transmitted through trustworthy tābiʿīn, such as:
Among those who narrated from Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn:
✔ This ḥadīth is recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, as well as in the works of:
Even before Imām al-Bukhārī, ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak (d. 181 AH) narrated this ḥadīth.
No muḥaddith has declared the ḥadīth weak, nor has anyone made any valid criticism against it.
The so-called “lies” in this ḥadīth are not lies in the sinful or dishonest sense. Rather, they are examples of “tawriyyah” (تورية) — a form of legal equivocation or indirect speech used in Arabic.
Tawriyyah means to say something which has an apparent meaning, but intends a different permissible meaning for a valid religious reason — a legitimate Sharʿī technique.
“إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ” – “I am sick.”
[Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt: 89]
Ibrāhīm عليه السلام meant spiritually sick of shirk and idol worship, not physical illness.
“إِنَّهَا أُخْتِي” – “She is my sister.”
Meant in dīn, i.e. she was a believing sister in faith — not a biological sister.
He stated it was from Allah’s command, which was a divine test, not deception.
Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله stated:
“In the dialect of the people of Ḥijāz, tawriyyah is also referred to as ‘kadhab’ (a lie).”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: Vol. 6, p. 391]
✔ The ḥadīth is authentic, with multiple strong chains accepted by leading muḥaddithīn.
✔ The term "kadhab" in the ḥadīth refers to tawriyyah, not sinful lying.
✔ There is no contradiction between this ḥadīth and the Qur’ānic description of Ibrāhīm عليه السلام as truthful (ṣiddīq).
✔ Objections to Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī on the basis of this ḥadīth are baseless and ignorant.
✔ This ḥadīth, when understood correctly, confirms the truth of the Qur’ān, not the opposite.
And Allah knows best what is correct.
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Kitāb al-ʿAqāʾid, p. 111✍ Answered for: Muhammad Arslan Sattar, Rawalpindi
❖ Question:
In our school class, there has been a lot of discussion lately about a ḥadīth from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī concerning “Kadhabāt Ibrāhīm عليه السلام” (the so-called lies of Prophet Ibrāhīm).
Some object to this ḥadīth, arguing that the Qur’ān describes Ibrāhīm عليه السلام as “ṣiddīqā nabiyyā” (a truthful prophet), while this ḥadīth appears to attribute falsehood to him. Based on this, some go as far as rejecting this ḥadīth and questioning the status of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī as “the most authentic book after the Book of Allah.”
Please provide a detailed clarification and explanation of this ḥadīth to clarify the truth of the matter.
◈ ➊ Chains of Transmission and Sources
The ḥadīth describing “three statements” made by Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام is recorded in multiple authentic compilations and transmitted through multiple Ṣaḥābah, including:
- Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
- Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه
- Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه
◈ ➋ Narration of Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
Transmitted through trustworthy tābiʿīn, such as:
- Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn al-Baṣrī – Thiqqah, strong, devout; d. 110 AH
Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 5947 - ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Hurmuz al-Aʿraj – Thiqqah, firm, scholar; d. 117 AH
Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 4033 - Abū Zurʿah ibn ʿAmr ibn Jarīr – Thiqqah
Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 8103
Among those who narrated from Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn:
- Ayyūb ibn Abī Tamīmah al-Sakhtiyānī – Thiqqah, trustworthy, ḥujjah; d. 131 AH
Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 605
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Kitāb Ḥadīth al-Anbiyāʾ, Bāb 8, Ḥadīth 3357]
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Kitāb al-Faḍāʾil, Bāb 41, Ḥadīth 6145] - Hishām ibn Ḥassān al-Baṣrī – Thiqqah; d. 147-148 AH
Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb: 7289
[Abū Dāwūd: 2212, Nasāʾī: 8374, Ibn Ḥibbān: 5707, Ṭabarī in his Tafsīr: 23/45, Abū Yaʿlā: 6039]
◈ ➌ Status of the Ḥadīth Among Ḥadīth Scholars
✔ This ḥadīth is recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, as well as in the works of:
- Imām Tirmidhī
- Imām Ibn Ḥibbān
- Imām Abū ʿAwānah
- Imām Abū Dāwūd
- Imām Ibn Abī Shaybah
- Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
Even before Imām al-Bukhārī, ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak (d. 181 AH) narrated this ḥadīth.
No muḥaddith has declared the ḥadīth weak, nor has anyone made any valid criticism against it.
◈ ➍ The Real Meaning of the Ḥadīth
The so-called “lies” in this ḥadīth are not lies in the sinful or dishonest sense. Rather, they are examples of “tawriyyah” (تورية) — a form of legal equivocation or indirect speech used in Arabic.
Tawriyyah means to say something which has an apparent meaning, but intends a different permissible meaning for a valid religious reason — a legitimate Sharʿī technique.
◈ ➎ The Three Incidents in the Ḥadīth
✔ 1. Statement About the Idols:
“إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ” – “I am sick.”
[Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt: 89] Ibrāhīm عليه السلام meant spiritually sick of shirk and idol worship, not physical illness.✔ 2. Regarding His Wife (Sārah):
“إِنَّهَا أُخْتِي” – “She is my sister.”
Meant in dīn, i.e. she was a believing sister in faith — not a biological sister.✔ 3. Regarding the Command to Sacrifice Ismāʿīl عليه السلام:
He stated it was from Allah’s command, which was a divine test, not deception.◈ ➏ Explanation by Scholars
Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله stated:
“In the dialect of the people of Ḥijāz, tawriyyah is also referred to as ‘kadhab’ (a lie).”
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: Vol. 6, p. 391]
Conclusion
✔ The ḥadīth is authentic, with multiple strong chains accepted by leading muḥaddithīn.
✔ The term "kadhab" in the ḥadīth refers to tawriyyah, not sinful lying.
✔ There is no contradiction between this ḥadīth and the Qur’ānic description of Ibrāhīm عليه السلام as truthful (ṣiddīq).
✔ Objections to Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī on the basis of this ḥadīth are baseless and ignorant.
✔ This ḥadīth, when understood correctly, confirms the truth of the Qur’ān, not the opposite.
And Allah knows best what is correct.
