Student fares on buses

18-11-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

I want to ask: does a student have some sort of relaxation from giving the fare of transport (buses and etc.). In Pakistan here are the students do not give the fare to some of the buses and in some they give half of it, sometimes the conductors does not demand knowing the students. I will like to mention that here (in Pakistan) is not such rule for this (it was but overruled). Now what should student do should students pay the fare or not? Sometimes student don't give fare and do indulge with conductors too.

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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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

It is an obligation on the student to pay transport fares when travelling on buses or other means of transportation. It is not permissible for him to avoid paying his fare, because if these buses and other means of transport are private property, then not paying the fares entails eating people's money without right, while Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities}[4:29]. If they are public property, then not paying transport fares is eating public money without a right. The Prophet said: "There are men who are indulged in Allaah's Money (i.e. money from the Muslim's treasury for public use) without a right, they will be in fire on the Day of Judgement." [Al-Bukhari] It is not permissible for the bus conductor to be negligent in collecting fares from students unless the owner of these buses gives permission to this effect.

Allaah knows best.