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Claiming Tax Return When the Income Is Mixed Between Lawful and Unlawful

Question

I was asked to clarify this question in a new question so inshaAllah this is more understandable.In my country, they pay back some tax money once a year based on your income I believe. Some people get paid a certain amount and others have to pay a certain amount. We call this "Tax return". If suppose that the income that the tax return was based on is mixed with halal and haram money (the qurstioner worked at a pharmacy where they sold pork-related and alcohol-related products) would the money recieved as tax return be haram too? I think it would since the way it was earned was through an income that was half haram and half halal. Would it then be wise to divide the income into half (half haram half halal) where I give 50% in charity to purify my money? Also I didn't really understand from previous questions but does the clothes, food, electronics and all the othet investments made with haram money become haram for you to wear or use? I would be happy if you could clarify.JazzakAllahu kheiran

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It seems to us that the unlawful earnings mixed with your income do not cancel your entitlement to the mentioned tax return, since its conditions are met according to the applicable tax laws and regulations, assuming that those taxes are mandatory on you.

If some of your earnings are unlawful, as you mentioned, then you have to get rid of the unlawful amount by spending it on public interests and charity. There is no difference in this regard between the income earned by selling mixed products (lawful and unlawful) and the tax return you receive based on the aforementioned law; for in both cases the money is mixed (i.e. combines both lawful and unlawful money).

As for the things that you bought with the mixed money, they are not forbidden for you, and it is permissible for you to use them.

Allah Knows best.

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