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Khida'a (deception; its place in the law)

الخديعة

Khida'a (deception) lexically is showing the opposite of what one hides, or guile with the intent of harm; war is a deceit. 1 It is distinguished from treachery (ghadr, breaking a covenant), undervaluation (ghabn, which concerns sale), breach of trust (khiyana), delusion and inducement (ghurur, taghrir), and deceitful adulteration (ghish). 1 2 Deceiving a treaty-bound enemy is forbidden; if the imam senses treachery by clear signs he must announce the end of the truce before fighting; after that, deceit in war is lawful, since war is deceit, and equivocation is allowed when a lawful purpose requires it. 3 4

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
Region
Global / Diaspora
Review
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Ethics and character

Summary

Khida'a (deception) lexically is showing the opposite of what one hides, or guile with the intent of harm; war is a deceit. 1 It is distinguished from treachery (ghadr, breaking a covenant), undervaluation (ghabn, which concerns sale), breach of trust (khiyana), delusion and inducement (ghurur, taghrir), and deceitful adulteration (ghish). 1 2 Deceiving a treaty-bound enemy is forbidden; if the imam senses treachery by clear signs he must announce the end of the truce before fighting; after that, deceit in war is lawful, since war is deceit, and equivocation is allowed when a lawful purpose requires it. 3 4

People and things also explored

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)· Ada' al-shahada (performing testimony: the duty on request, the excused witness, and the wording)· Manners of the Qur'an bearer· Biting and the liability for injury it causes (add)· Adha (harm of a slight kind: removing harmful things and the duty not to harm)· Justice and grace (adl wal-fadl)· Pardon (afw) in purity, worship, contracts and penalties· Covenant (ahd) and the duty to keep it; oath by the covenant of God

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.7556
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.7557
  3. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.7558
  4. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.7559
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Khida'a (deception; its place in the law)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/khida-deception/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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Wing

Ideas

Beliefs, concepts, sciences and schools, explained in plain words. Related

Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)

Paying a debt in the form owed is obligatory by consensus. A debt due now must be paid on demand when the debtor can pay; a deferred debt is not due before its term. Payment is made in like items, with value owed where there is no like; a better payment is allowed when unconditioned. Remission, gift, assignment, set-off and settlement take the place of payment. A solvent debtor who refuses is compelled, imprisoned and his apparent property sold; the majority hold that a bankrupt is put under interdiction and his property divided among creditors, against Abu Hanifa. The insolvent is given respite, and his debt may be paid from zakat if he borrowed for himself in a lawful matter. A dead person's debt attaches to his estate and takes precedence over bequests and inheritance.