Caution against even minor dishonesty

📖Sunan Ibn Mājah 3298
Asma’ bint Yazid reported: Food was brought to the Prophet ﷺ, and it was presented before us. We said, “We do not have an appetite for it.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not combine hunger with lies.”

Description:
This hadith teaches us that honesty must remain even in simple matters like food. If you do not wish to eat, simply say so -but do not lie by pretending you have no appetite while you are actually hungry. Lying, even in small things, plants hypocrisy in the heart. And if someone is truly hungry, do not deny them food – feed them instead of making excuses.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 2:42
And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].

While this verse has its own context about the People of the Book concealing revelation, it also applies to daily life – one should not lie, twist facts, or hide the truth knowingly.

📖Quran 16:90
Indeed, Allah commands justice, good conduct, and giving to relatives, and forbids immorality, bad conduct, and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.

Here Allah commands generosity and forbids oppression. If someone is hungry and you have food, then withholding it while making excuses is a form of injustice.

📖Quran 107:1-7
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense? For that is the one who drives away the orphan, And does not encourage the feeding of the poor, So woe to those who pray, But who are heedless of their prayer – Those who make show [of their deeds] And withhold [simple] assistance.

Allah condemns those who neglect the hungry and needy, showing that feeding the hungry is not optional – it is part of true faith.