Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet ﷺ as saying Abraham(peace be upon him) never told a lie except on three occasions twice for the sake of Allaah. Allah quoted his words (in the Qur’an) “I am indeed sick” and “Nay, this was done by - this is their biggest one”. Once he was passing through the land of a tyrant (king). He stayed there in a place. People went to the tyrant and informed him saying “A man has come down here; he has a most beautiful woman with him.” So he sent for him (Abraham) and asked about her. He said she is my sister. When he returned to her, he said “he asked me about you and I informed him that you were my sister. Today there is no believer except me and you. You are my sister in the Book of Allah (i.e., sister in faith). So do not belie me before him. The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.

Abu Dawud said “A similar tradition has also been narrated by Shu’aib bin Abi Hamza from Abi Al Zinad from Al A’raj on the authority of Abu Hurairah from the Prophet ﷺ.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ " أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ﷺ لَمْ يَكْذِبْ قَطُّ إِلاَّ ثَلاَثًا ثِنْتَانِ فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى قَوْلُهُ { إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ } وَقَوْلُهُ { بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا } وَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَسِيرُ فِي أَرْضِ جَبَّارٍ مِنَ الْجَبَابِرَةِ إِذْ نَزَلَ مَنْزِلاً فَأُتِيَ الْجَبَّارُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ نَزَلَ هَا هُنَا رَجُلٌ مَعَهُ امْرَأَةٌ هِيَ أَحْسَنُ النَّاسِ قَالَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا أُخْتِي . فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ إِلَيْهَا قَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا سَأَلَنِي عَنْكِ فَأَنْبَأْتُهُ أَنَّكِ أُخْتِي وَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ الْيَوْمَ مُسْلِمٌ غَيْرِي وَغَيْرُكِ وَإِنَّكِ أُخْتِي فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تُكَذِّبِينِي عِنْدَهُ " . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَى هَذَا الْخَبَرَ شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ نَحْوَهُ .