4. Lying in jest and pleasantry
Lying in jest is another kind of falsehood. For instance, telling a simpleton that, “A certain lady wants to marry you,” or “that person has invited you for dinner tonight,” when actually there is no truth in it. This type of falsehood is also HarÄm as proved conclusively from the traditions.
Certain Mujtahids opine that if something untrue is said in jest, and it is clearly understood to be a joke, then it is permitted. However, other Mujtahids regard even a falsehood in jest to be absolutely HarÄm, whether it is an apparent joke or not, as a precautionary measure. The traditions also confirm that lying even in jest is not permitted.