Is it haram to lie or hide defects when selling something?

The short answer

Yes. Deceiving a buyer is forbidden: the Prophet ﷺ said, "He who deceives is not of me." Sellers must disclose defects they know about, must not use false oaths to push a sale, and must give full weight and measure. Honest dealing, by contrast, is promised blessing.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explanation

The Prophet ﷺ once passed a heap of grain in the market and put his hand into it. His fingers came out wet: the seller had left the rain-soaked grain underneath where buyers could not see it. He asked why it was not placed on top where people could see it, and said, "He who deceives is not of me" 1. In another hadith, "he who acted dishonestly towards us is not of us" 2.

So hiding a fault is itself deception, even if you never say a false word. The Prophet ﷺ taught that if buyer and seller "spoke the truth and described the defects", their deal is blessed; if they "told lies or hid something", its blessing is lost 3. Selling a used car with a known problem, hiding damage in product photos, or posting fake reviews all fall under this.

Swearing to close a deal is singled out. The seller "of goods by false oath" is among three people whom Allah will not speak to or look at on the Day of Resurrection 4, and even true oaths used to push sales are discouraged: "it produces a ready sale... but blots out the blessing" 5.

The Quran adds the duty of fair measure. "Woe to those who give less," who take in full for themselves but short-change others 6. The Prophet Shu'ayb (AS) told his people to give full measure and weight and "not deprive the people of their due" 7. Today that covers shrinking quantities, hidden fees and misleading labels.

The practical rule is simple: describe what you sell as you would want it described to you. Honest disclosure may cost a sale today, but it keeps your earnings halal and blessed.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 102
    Sahih Muslim

    The Prophet ﷺ found wet grain hidden under dry and said, "He who deceives is not of me."

    It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) happened to pass by a heap of eatables (corn). He thrust his hand in that (heap) and his fingers were moistened. He said to the owner of that heap of eatables (corn):What is this? He replied: Messenger of Allah, these have been drenched by rainfall. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Why did you not place this (the drenched part of the heap) over other eatables so that the people could see it? He who deceives is not of me (is not my follower)

    العربية

    وَحَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، - قَالَ ابْنُ أَيُّوبَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الْعَلاَءُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ‏.‏ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ عَلَى صُبْرَةِ طَعَامٍ فَأَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فِيهَا فَنَالَتْ أَصَابِعُهُ بَلَلاً فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَا هَذَا يَا صَاحِبَ الطَّعَامِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَصَابَتْهُ السَّمَاءُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَفَلاَ جَعَلْتَهُ فَوْقَ الطَّعَامِ كَىْ يَرَاهُ النَّاسُ مَنْ غَشَّ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 101
    Sahih Muslim

    Whoever acts dishonestly towards us is not of us.

    It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed:He who took up arms against us is not of us and he who acted dishonestly towards us is not of us

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْقَارِيُّ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ حَمَلَ عَلَيْنَا السِّلاَحَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا وَمَنْ غَشَّنَا فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2079
    Sahih Bukhari

    Truthfulness and describing defects bless a sale; lying and hiding destroy its blessing.

    Narrated Hakim bin Hizam:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The seller and the buyer have the right to keep or return goods as long as they have not parted or till they part; and if both the parties spoke the truth and described the defects and qualities (of the goods), then they would be blessed in their transaction, and if they told lies or hid something, then the blessings of their transaction would be lost

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، رَفَعَهُ إِلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ الْبَيِّعَانِ بِالْخِيَارِ مَا لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقَا ـ أَوْ قَالَ حَتَّى يَتَفَرَّقَا ـ فَإِنْ صَدَقَا وَبَيَّنَا بُورِكَ لَهُمَا فِي بَيْعِهِمَا، وَإِنْ كَتَمَا وَكَذَبَا مُحِقَتْ بَرَكَةُ بَيْعِهِمَا ‏"‏‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 106
    Sahih Muslim

    The one who sells goods by false oath is among three whom Allah will not look at.

    It is narrated o the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may ace he upon him) observed:Three are the (persons) with whom Allah would neither speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor would look at them nor would absolve the and there is a painful chastisement for them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) repeated it three times. Abu Dharr remarked: They failed and they lost; who are these persons, Messenger of Allah? Upon this he (the Holy) Prophet) observed: They are: the dragger of lower garment, the recounter of obligation the seller of goods by false oath

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُدْرِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ خَرَشَةَ بْنِ الْحُرِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ‏"‏ قَالَ فَقَرَأَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ خَابُوا وَخَسِرُوا مَنْ هُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ الْمُسْبِلُ وَالْمَنَّانُ وَالْمُنَفِّقُ سِلْعَتَهُ بِالْحَلِفِ الْكَاذِبِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 1607
    Sahih Muslim

    Swearing may speed a sale but it blots out the blessing.

    Abu Qatada al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say:Beware of swearing; it produces a ready sale for a commodity, but blots out the blessing

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ - قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ مَعْبَدِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَكَثْرَةَ الْحَلِفِ فِي الْبَيْعِ فَإِنَّهُ يُنَفِّقُ ثُمَّ يَمْحَقُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Quran Al-Mutaffifin · 83:1–3

    Woe to those who take full measure but give less to others.

    وَيۡلࣱ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِينَ ۝١ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكۡتَالُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُونَ ۝٢ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمۡ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُونَ ۝٣

    1 Woe to those who give less [than due] 2 Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full 3 But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss

  7. 7
    Quran Hud · 11:85

    Give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive people of their due.

    وَيَٰقَوۡمِ أَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡمِكۡيَالَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ ۝٨٥

    And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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