Asallamualaikum, My 10 year old child's school were going on a school trip to cinema and because I didn't want her to attend and her going may have also made her miss her dohar prayer I booked a dentist appointment even though she didn't need it so she could get out of the trip as the schools ask for evidence. In this country dental is free for children so was it unlawful to book appointment she didn't need and is this considered cheating and if so what can I do now as the dentist won't take any money for child treatment.

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 is His Slave and Messenger.

As long as you have booked an appointment for your daughter with the dentist at the time of the school trip to the cinema in order to prevent your daughter from participating in that trip so that she would not watch what she should not see, and so that she would not miss the time of the prayer if they do not allow the students to perform the prayers on time, then you are not sinful for what you did.

Also, it is permissible to take your daughter to the dentist even if she does not suffer any condition. It is not a necessity to visit the doctor only when one is sick; rather, a person may visit the doctor for prevention. Doctors, especially dentists, recommend this, as there might be something that cannot be noticed except after examination. In any case, you are not sinful in the trick which you mentioned in order to prevent your daughter from participating in that trip to the cinema. It is known that the cinema in our present time and age is based on spreading and promoting forbidden things.

In addition to this, there are some tricks that are permissible; Allaah says (what means): {Thus did We plan for Yoosuf (Joseph).} [Quran 12:76] As-Suyooti said in Tafseer Al-Jalaalayn about the interpretation of the this verse: “We taught him trickery in order to take (back) his brother.”

Al-Jassaas said in his interpretation of this verse: “This verse is evidence that trickery is permissible in order to get what is lawful and to take one’s rights.”

Allaah Knows best.