Is a wife sinful for lying to her husband about his appearance, by telling him he is handsome, fearing that she might hurt his feelings and cause him distress, knowing that the truth would distress him?
There is no harm in lying to please the husband and protect his feelings, citing the words of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "He is not a liar who reconciles between people, saying good things or conveying good things." And the other narration that added an exception for lying in war, reconciling between people, and the حديث (narration) of a man speaking to his wife and a wife speaking to her husband. Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen clarified that this includes the husband telling his wife what brings about affection and love, even if it is a lie.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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