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Fatwa CenterFalsifying income
Question
WHILE I STILL GO TO SCHOOL AND WORKOF THE SAME TIME, I LIVE IN A SUBSIDIZED, APARTMENTS. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE RECERTIFICATION OF INCOME AND I CHEATED THE OFFICE EVERY YEAR, PROVIDING THEM WITH ONLY HALF OF MY INCOME WHICH IS TAXABLE AND THE OTHER HALF I GET IT CASH . ALSO, I HAVE SOME ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERMENT BESIDES HOUSING AND THAT IS MEDCAID AND FOOD-STAMPS WHICH IS A FORM OF PAYMENT FOR YOUR DOCTORS AND DENTISTS VISITS AND MOST OF YOUR MEDICINE. ALSO GET ASSISTANCE FOR FOOD EVERY MONTH AND I AM GETTING THIS ASSISTANCE (HOUSING, MEDICAL INSURANCE, FOOD ASSISTANCE CHECK) SIMPLY BECAUSE I CHEATED BY PROVIDING THESE AGENCY WITH ONLY HALF OF MY INCOME. IF I TELL THEM THE RIGHT INCOME I WILL LOSE ALL OF THE ABOVE OR MAY IT MAY BE REDUCED. SO WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allâh is Most Merciful to you.} [4: 29].
Al Bukhari reported that the Prophet said: "Allah, the Blessed, the Supreme has made your blood, your property and your honour sacred (and such protection can not be slighted) except rightfully".
Muslim narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet declared that "Everything belonging to a Muslim is unlawful for another Muslim; his blood his honour and his property".
This verse and these narrations make it clear that the belongings of a Muslim are forbidden to all other people except with a right.
No doubt that cheating, lying and deceiving have nothing to do with the rights. This prohibition includes public as well as private belongings. The latter is more emphasized as clarified in this verse: {It is not for any Prophet to take illegally a part of booty (Ghulul), and whosoever deceives his companions as regards the booty, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he took (illegally). Then every person shall be paid in full what he has earned, - and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.} [3: 161].
Al Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Huraira that he said: "The Prophet got up amongst us and mentioned Al Ghulul, emphasized its magnitude and declared that it was a great sin saying, "Don't commit Ghulul for I should not like to see anyone amongst you on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating, or carrying over his neck a horse that will be neighing. Such a man will be saying: 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will reply, 'I can't help you, for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you.' Nor should I like to see a man carrying over his neck, a camel that will be grunting. Such a man will say, 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will say, 'I can't help you for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,' or one carrying over his neck gold and silver and saying, 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will say, 'I can't help you for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,' or one carrying clothes that will be fluttering, and the man will say, 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me.' And I will say, 'I can't help you, for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you.' ".
For this reason, we would like to tell the questioner that it is forbidden to keep on doing what you mentioned and you must return back what you have taken through deceiving and cheating.
Allah knows best.
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