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He saved the government some money; can he take compensation without their knowing?

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Publication : 17-08-2007

Views : 6175

Question

I am employed in a government department in my country, and I did some work that saved the state a lot of money. My boss said to me: I cannot compensate you properly, because the administration in our country does not pay its employees well. In this case my efforts are wasted and my rights are lost. My boss suggested that I should bring a bill from a private company, from one of my acquaintances, and we would record the work in their name, as if the work had been done by them, for half the real value of the job, and when the money came I would take my share of it, and the private company would take some, and the rest would be spent on administrative needs. Is this money halaal or haraam? And why?.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

This action that was suggested by your boss is haraam, and the money that would be obtained by means of this action is haraam, and it is not permissible for you or the administration to take it from the state in this manner that is based on lying and deceit. 

Employees, whether they work for the government or not, have to do their jobs in the best manner and they have to try to bring benefits and ward off harm from their workplaces, and they take their salaries for their work in exchange for their efforts at work. 

If a person does his job well and saves his workplace money, or he is the cause of them making abundant profits, it is not permissible for him to take more than his salary from his workplace, but he may submit a report to the administration showing them what he has done, and if they agree to offer him some reward for that, it is permissible for him to take it. Otherwise it is not permissible for him to take any money from them without their knowledge. If he does that then he is earning wealth in a haraam way. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said: 

Sincerity in work or employment means doing the job in the manner required, as agreed upon in the contract or the system. It is a trust that must be fulfilled, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, Allaah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due” [al-Nisa’ 4:58]. End quote. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (15/155, 156.

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Source: Islam Q&A