Does the koran teach that you can lie?

Answer 1

The Qur'an says:

"Speak the truth, even if it is against yourselves, or a near relative".

"Stand out as witnesses to God, upholders of what is true and good. And do not let the hatred of a people towards you cause you to be unjust".

Speaking the truth - to believers as well as non-believers - is a command of God, in the Qur'an. If it was true that Muslims are supposed to deceive non-Muslims, then why is every translation of the Qur'an like every other translation? No one who translated the Qur'an tried to hide the meanings of any verses. We believe in our message - and we are not afraid to tell it like it is.

Answer 2

Answer 1
Yes.

Q9:3: "Allah and his messenger [i.e., Mohammed] dissolve obligations." In other words, Allah gives permission not to keep promises in a context like this one, which was to spread Islam by conquering Mecca.

Q8:58: "If you apprehend treachery from a people with whom you have a treaty, retaliate by breaking off relations with them." Notice that you do not need proof of treachery before you break your promises. It is enough to suspect treachery.

Q3:28: "Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends ... unless that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking security." In other words, it is all right to trick an unbeliever into a false friendship.

Although this is not in the Qur'an, the context of early Muslim history clearly shows the example of Mohammed.

• In 624 he wanted to assassinate Kaab ibn Al-Ashraf, whom he regarded as an impediment to Islam. When the assassin said that he would need to tell lies for his plot to work, Mohammed replied, "Say whatever you like." (In Guillaume's translation of Ibn Ishaq, this is on page 550.)
• When he was besieging the Qurayza in spring 627 he made his famous statement: "Go and awaken distrust among the enemy to draw them off us if you can, for war is deceit." (In Guillaume's translation of Ibn Ishaq, this is on page 680.)
• The following year he made a ten-year treaty with Mecca but he broke it almost immediately. His speed suggests he did not merely change his mind but that he had signed the treaty deceitfully, with no intention of ever keeping his side of the bargain. (See Guillaume/Ibn Ishaq, pp. 751-755.)

What the Qur'an has to say about this behaviour is in Q33:21: "You have in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for anyone to follow."



Answer 2
Never!!

• The Holy Quran very clearly says what means in English:
  " O ye who believe! fulfil all obligations" (Quran- 5 :1)

• The Holy Quran in another verse says what means:

"....and fulfil every engagement,for every engagement will be enquired into (on the day of Reckoning)" (Quran- 17 :34)

• Allah praises the believers mentioning their characteristics ,one of them is in this verse : " Those who faithfully observe their trusts and covenants" (Quran- 23:8)

Answer 3
In addition to the arguments under answer 2 that I fully agree with, it is to be emphasized that both the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad's teachings agree that it is forbidden for Muslims to lie except in the following three situations:

1. to gain an advantage during wartime
   
2. to bring back two friends to good friendship again; as to say for example to one of them that your friend that broke ties with him/her appraises you and says good words about you
3. to say to your wife that she is the most beautiful woman you ever have seen or to say to your husband that you are the best man you have ever met
   

Otherwise never a Muslim is entitled to lie. When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was asked if a Muslim can lie, he said never.

Prophet Muhammad himself was labelled among the people of his tribe (before being assigned as prophet by God) as the honest and trustful.

Prophet Muhammad never broke a promise with any Muslim or non-Muslim or Pagan. However, when he was besieging the Jewish Banu Qurayza, because it was wartime it may require deceit to defend Muslims against the betrayal of Banu Qurayza. The story is that the Banu Qurayza broke their treaty with the Prophet to defend their part of Medina against the Pagans but they broke the treaty and cooperated with the Pagans against the Prophet, causing significant damage.

Qur'an says (Meaning English Translation):
"And indeed, you (prophet Muhammad) are of a great moral character." (68:4)
Also Qur'an urges Muslims to keep their promises and says as the character of Muslims: "And they (Muslims and believers) who are to their trusts and their promises attentive"(23:8).

The treaty with Mecca was broken upon the Meccans and their allies invasion to Muslims in Medina.

It remains two comments:

1. on the question phrasing. Nation of Islam (NOI) is quite different than Islam per Qur'an revelation to prophet Muhammad. Followers of NOI do not belong to mainstream Islam. Refer to related question below.
2. Answer 1 included truncated verses of Quran that give accordingly false interpretation of the Quran meanings and guides. Quran even instructs the prophet that if a pagan (polytheist) requests the prophet protection then the prophet has to protect him until being safe and then returns him to a safe place. Breaking a promise is a big sin in Islam.