In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Abdullaah Bin Abbaas [radiyallaahu-anhumaa] said, Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me [i.e. about an incident that took place when he was not a Muslim] that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah’s Apostle had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So abu sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’s question said to them, “Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?” Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group).” Heraclius said, ‘bring him [i.e. Abu Sufyan] close to me and make his companions stand behind him.” Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me.” Abu Sufyan added, “By Allaah! Had I Not Been Afraid of My Companions Labelling Me A Liar, I Would Not Have Spoken The Truth About Him [i.e. The Prophet] [Sahih Al-Bukhaari: Book of Revelation. Hadeeth Number 7 Vol 1]

Abu Sufyan said: “By Allaah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labelling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him [i.e. The Prophet] [Sahih Al-Bukhaari: Book of Revelation. Hadeeth Number 7 Vol 1]

Few Reminders From This Hadeeth Regarding Truthfulness

Regarding the statement of Abu Sufyan [radiyallaahu-anhu], “By Allaah! Had I Not Been Afraid of My Companions Labelling Me A Liar, I Would Not Have Spoken The Truth About Him (i.e. The Prophet)’’; Imaam Ibn Hajr [rahimahullaah] stated in Fat-hul Baari that this shows that they [i.e. the pagan Arabs] used to abhor lying [or used to consider it to be an ugly deed]- either based on what they followed from the previous revealed laws [i.e. the path of Ibraaheem (alayhis-salaam) etc] or it was something abhorred in their customs. [An Excerpt. For further details, see Fat-hul Baari]

Question to Sheikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (hafidha-hullaah): Is lying permissible in calling to Allaah? And is ‘the goal justifies the means’ a maslahah (benefit) from the masaalih (beneficial affairs) of the Sharee’ah?

Answer: Lying is not permissible. It is a major sin from the major sins. It (lying) is not permissible except in three affairs which the prophet made an exception; lying during war, because war is deceit; lying in order to bring about peace between the people; and lying between married couples in order to bring about rectification to the family with regards to the relationship between (husband and the wife). These three affairs are that of maslahah, and in them is a greater good than evil; so (lying) is permissible (in this case). As for calling to Allaah, it has no need for lies. It is not permissible to utilize lies in calling to Allaah. Calling to Allaah is to (be carried out) by way of truth, the Book, the sunnah, fine admonition and arguing in a way that is better and not by way of lies. [Source: Al-Ijaabatul Muhimmah Fee Mashaakil Al-Mulimmah, page:271-272]