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Fatwa CenterLobbying to receive government services
Question
Salam Alaikum,
Islamic Ruling on Lobbying:
I wish to know Islamic ruling on lobbying. I am a government worker in a society that largely provides official services based lobbying. These services include staff welfare, training, attending workshops, participating in beneficial meetings.
Nominations for above depends on lobbying. As a Muslim should I believe in destiny and wait to be nominated or lobby without necessarily giving bribe.
Thank you.
Answer
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.
A Muslim is obliged to submit himself to the Decree and Predestination of Allaah in all cases; however, this does not mean that he should not take the (permissible) means in order to achieve the permissible goals. Therefore, a Muslim is religiously required to take the means in order to achieve what he wants provided it is permissible. Abu Hurayrah 
narrated that the Prophet said: “A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allaah than a weak believer, but there is good in both of them. Strive, to attain that which will benefit you and seek the Help of Allaah and do not feel helpless.” [Muslim]
Therefore, being keen on achieving what is permissible should be by taking the permissible means and seeking the Help of Allaah, meaning surrendering the matter to Him. A Muslim should not abandon taking the proper means just because of believing in the Predestination of Allaah.
Hence, forming lobbies in order to reach the truth without causing any harm is permissible as this is a means and, in principle, all means are permissible unless there is a text that suggests that they are forbidden.
The Prophet praised “Hilf al-Fudhool” ([The Alliance of the Virtuous], i.e. a pact signed before Islam by some Makkan tribes to defend the oppressed regardless of his social status or ethnic origin). Al-Bayhaqi 
reported in his “Sunan” that the Prophet said: "I witnessed a pact in the house of ‘Abdullaah Ibn Jud’aan which is better for me than red camels [a very expensive species of camels] and if I was called to it in Islam, I would have accepted it." This pact is conducted in the Pre-Islamic era of ignorance on the basis of supporting the oppressed and giving him back his right.
However, if lobbying is about a forbidden matter or it is aimed at injustice or corruption and the like, then it is not permissible.
Finally, the two following matters should be mentioned:
1- Bribery is forbidden and the one who takes it is cursed, so it is not permissible to pay it in order to get one’s right unless there is no other alternative. If one is obliged to pay it, it becomes permissible for him and the sin is only upon the one who takes it.
2- The matter of nominating a suitable man should be done by Ahlul Hall wal ‘Aqd (the decision makers and the influential members of the Muslim society) from the Muslims so that they would be keen on choosing a strong and trustworthy person for the given position, but the person should not nominates himself, because this is a trust. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: “You will be keen to have the authority of ruling which will be a regret for you on the Day of Judgment. What an excellent wet nurse it is, yet what a bad wearing one it is! (i.e. it is an easy way to get power, money and influence, but it is difficult to separate from that by death or else not to mention the fact that a person will be held accountable for it in the Hereafter).” [Al-Bukhari]
Allaah Knows best.
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