Asalamu alaykum, I would like to know if the situation when prophet yosuf wanted to keep his brother and put the cup in his younger brother’s belonging to claim his cup was stolen, was that considered to b a lawful lie / trick to get his rights? Can one lie about something to keep or claim his/her rights? or avoid being oppressed? As a result, if I live in a kafir country where the government taxes the workers in unfair manner and other oppressions they inflict on individuals with their capitalism system, can I hide my earnings or part of it to protect my rights, my money that otherwise would be taken away from me by force by the government?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

First of all, it should be mentioned that the end does not justify the means. As the objective should be permissible, the means to get it should also be permissible. The rule is that the means have the same rulings as the objectives. Besides, the Sharee’ah is based on conferring benefits and preventing harms.

Secondly, in principle lying is forbidden and it is not permissible for a Muslim to resort to it. However, if lying is the only means to get one’s right, then it is permissible to use it as a trick in order to get one’s right. It is for this reason that Allaah confirmed what Prophet Yoosuf (Joseph) did in order to repel the injustice that his younger brother received from his brothers. Allaah Says (what means): {Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion [i.e. law] of the king except that Allaah willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.}[Quran 12:76]

As-Suyooti said in Tafseer Al-Jalaalayn when interpreting the above verse: “[it means] we taught him how to plan a trick to take his brother.”

Besides, Al-Jassaas said when interpreting this verse: “It (this verse) is evidence that it is permissible to plan a trick in order to get what is permissible and to get one’s rights.”

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 84728 and 82736.

Thirdly, we have already explained the Islamic ruling on taxes in Fatwa 85356; so it is important to refer to it. So, if these taxes are taken from a Muslim illegally, then it becomes permissible for him to trick the government in order to avoid them all or to avoid some of them as a way of repelling injustice if he has no other way to get rid of them except by lying.

Allaah Knows best.