benefit from his equivocation, by consensus, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Your oath is according to what your counterpart understands you to mean.” (1)

If a person is neither a wrongdoer nor one who has been wronged, and he uses equivocation, Shaykh al-Islam said: “It is not permissible,” because his falsehood may later be discovered, thereby undermining his credibility. So long as he has no need, he should not expose himself to criticism and blame. But if he needs to do so—for example, when someone asks you an embarrassing question that he ought not to ask because it is none of his concern, and you do not wish to inform him—then there is nothing wrong with using equivocation. That person should be told: “Why did you ask about something that does not concern you?!” But if he persists and says, “Swear that you did not use equivocation,” he may say, “By Allah, I did not use equivocation,” intending that he did not figuratively interpret the verses concerning the divine attributes: rather, he affirms them according to their apparent meaning; or intending that he did not use equivocation in such-and-such a book, or something similar.

Likewise, if it occurs in war, and one uses equivocation in order to deceive the enemy, it is permissible. This is the kind of lying which the hadith states is permitted in war. (2)

Similarly, if it is for reconciliation between two people—for instance, a man asks you, “What does so-and-so say about me—this man who insults me before people and speaks ill of me behind my back?” Wanting to reconcile them, you say, “By Allah, he said nothing about you,” intending, “the one who said something about you,” or intending the twelfth hour of the night—then this is permissible, because