Can you lie in Islam? Yes, for both Sunnis and Shias

 Sunni Islam allows deception in war in order to attain victory. Al-Nawawi said: “The scholars are agreed that it is permissible to deceive the kuffaar in war in any way possible, except if that would mean breaking the terms of a treaty or trust, in which case it is not permitted.

Taqiyyah is a concept in Shia Islamic jurisprudence that allows presenting outwardly something that is different from what one believes inwardly, as an act of religious devotion.
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/178975/what-is-taqiyyah

Islam allows lying in three situations:
1. During War
2. To Reconcile Between People
3. Between Spouses
https://islamqa.org/hanafi/askimam/81140/cases-in-which-lying-is-permitted-2/

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In Islam, there exists a term called “Taqiyya” (تقية) – a religious concept that grants permission to hide one’s true faith and even to lie, when there is a real danger to the life of a Muslim or when he is under persecution or pressure.Taqiyya is considered a temporary protective measure – a way to survive in difficult situations.

However, in modern political discourse – especially around the Israeli–Palestinian conflict – there are cases where this principle has evolved into an actual strategy: deliberate use of falsehood as a propaganda tool for political and perceptual gain on the international stage.

In the Palestinian context, especially by organizations like Hamas, and sometimes also by the Palestinian Authority or BDS organizations, patterns can be identified of spreading false or distorted information – not out of personal distress, but as a strategic tool aimed at evoking empathy for the Palestinians and hatred towards Israel.

Origin of the term: The word “Taqiyya” in Arabic derives from the root “W.Q.Y” (و.ق.ي), which means protection or caution. That is, it is an act done for self-defense purposes.

Justification for its use: It appears in the Quran, among others in verse Surah 3:28, which speaks about the idea that believers shall not take unbelievers as allies, “unless you fear them.”When is it permitted to use it: Primarily when a Muslim might be murdered, imprisoned, tortured, or suffer severe physical/social harm because of his faith.

Who uses it: Mainly the Shiites – Shiite groups have extensively used Taqiyya throughout history, especially when they were a persecuted minority by Sunni Muslims.Is it permitted to lie for any purpose? No. Taqiyya does not permit lying freely or for regular deceitful purposes. It is about lying limited to cases of real danger, and it is perceived as a temporary solution for survival.

There is a difference between moral-religious Taqiyya and lying for fraudulent aims.

But today, Muslims use it on a daily basis for propaganda purposes – whether it’s the Palestinians, the Iranians, the Julani regime, Hezbollah, and so on.

Lies and misleading narratives spread for Palestinian propaganda purposes:

“Israel is committing genocide”

The truth: There is no legal, demographic, or military evidence for genocide. The Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza has grown significantly in recent decades.The lie is intended to stir strong emotions in the West, especially after the Holocaust, and to compare Israel to the Nazis.

“Israel attacked first”

Many times, including during operations like “Guardian of the Walls”, “Protective Edge”, and others, Hamas or Islamic Jihad began rocket fire — but the narrative is spread as if Israel launched an “unprovoked” attack.”There is no evidence that ‘child abductions’ or ‘massacre’ occurred on October 7

“Immediately after the October 7, 2023 attack, claims were spread that it was a “legitimate military operation”, or that the massacre was an “Israeli invention”.

Even after bodies and evidence were found, many continued to deny it.This is part of a campaign of crime denial and framing the victims as the aggressors.

“The refugees are pure victims who were cruelly expelled”

The truth is more complex. Some Palestinians fled battles in 1948 after calls by their leaders, some were expelled, but there was no overall expulsion policy.

The narrative ignores the Jewish refugees from Arab countries.

“There is no proof that Hamas uses civilians as human shields”

Despite many pieces of evidence from intelligence sources, soldier testimonies, and published videos – Hamas adamantly claims it has no bases or tunnels under hospitals or schools. In reality, documented military use of civilian facilities exists.

“Gaza is under occupation”

Since 2005, there are no Israeli soldiers in Gaza, and no settlements. Hamas is in actual control. Nevertheless, many still claim it is “under occupation” even though Israel does not physically control it – in order to frame the conflict as a legitimate liberation struggle.

Fake or recycled images Frequently, images of wounded children from Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan are distributed as if they are from Gaza. There is also repeated use of old photos presented as current events.

“The Jews are colonialists with no connection to the land”

An attempt to sever the historical connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, despite tens of thousands of archaeological findings, historical writings, and the biblical connection.These phenomena are not just media errors or different interpretations of reality – but calculated moves intended to create a false moral picture, to turn the aggressor into a victim, and to deny the very legitimacy of the State of Israel.

The parallel to the concept of Taqiyya is meant to illustrate that lying, when framed as a means of “survival” – even perceptual or political – is considered legitimate by some Palestinian leaders. But instead of personal survival – here it is about narrative survival: the attempt to maintain the status of “an oppressed people” at all costs, even if the cost is the truth.