The Dangers of Deception: A Hadith on Honesty in Relationships

The Importance of Truthfulness in Marriage and Relationships

HADITH AND COMMENTARY

Asma’ (RADIYALLAAHU ANHA) reported: A woman came to the Messenger of ALLAAH (SALLALLAAHU ALAHYI WA SALLAM) and said:

"I have a co-wife. "Is there any harm for me if I give her the false impression of getting something from my husband which he has not in fact given me?'' The Prophet (SALLALLAAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM) said, "The one who creates a false impression of receiving what one has not been given is like one who wears two garments of falsehood.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

COMMENTARY:

Some people disguise themselves as pious to create a false impression of their piety; some put up the appearance of scholars to establish their scholarship; and some take to highly expensive clothes to give the impression of being rich. Since these things are fabricated and false, they constitute great sins. One should live as one really is. Similarly, the second wife should not invent false stories to give the wrong impression of herself to the other wife. Nor should they make false claims of greater love and attention of the husband only to incite the jealousy of the other one while the real position is far from that. In fact, even if this is so, she should not expose the weakness of the husband so that the feelings of his other wife are not injured. 

[Riyadh us-Saliheen, Book 18, Chapter 262, hadith 1549]