27 OCTOBER 2007, Page 21

Islam and truth

Sir: Piers Paul Read (The Muslims' letter to the Pope is not all it seems', 20 October) raises many good points but asserts that Islam enjoins truth. At the risk of attracting the Thought Police, may I draw attention to the following authoritative scholar?

Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri (died 1368 AD) in his manual of sacred Islamic law entitled The Reliance of the Traveller says: 'Speaking is a means to achieve objectives. If a praiseworthy aim is attainable through both telling the truth and lying, it is unlawful to accomplish it through lying because there is no need for it. When it is possible to achieve such an aim by lying but not by telling the truth, it is permissible to lie if attaining the goal is permissible . . . and obligatory to lie if the goal is obligatory' (my emphasis). The Reliance of the Traveller; translated by Nuh Ha Min Keller, Amana Publications 1997.

Edward Spalton Derby