Fatwa ID: 06519

 

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

 

Question:

 

As an Imam living  in London, showing my salary to the government makes living very difficult due to fewer wages

 

Is it permissible to hide the salary given by the masjid committee from the government to avoid paying tax?

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

As an Imam, you know more than most the importance of earning Halal and also refraining from Haraam.

 

The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said, “He who deceives is not from amongst us.” [Sunan Abi Dawood; Hadith 3452] [1]

 

Collecting taxes is a fundamental method that the government employs to generate public revenues that make it possible to finance investments in human capital, infrastructure, and the provision of services for citizens and businesses such as housing, education, health, benefits and etc.

 

We take full advantage of the free services which are provided to us by the government and it is only fair for us to reciprocate this, when possible. To hide one’s income either fully or partially would constitute deception, which is not permissible.

 

To avoid paying taxes, especially for someone who is the leader of the community such as yourself, opens the door for fingers to be pointed towards you if you were to be caught and it defames the character of Muslims. All communities hold the spiritual leaders in the highest esteem and it is prudent to always try to avoid any situations which may lead to fingers being pointed towards oneself.

 

 

 

Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.

Written by Maulana Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1]حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِرَجُلٍ يَبِيعُ طَعَامًا فَسَأَلَهُ ‏”‏ كَيْفَ تَبِيعُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَأُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ أَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِيهِ فَأَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فِيهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ مَبْلُولٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ غَشَّ ‏”‏ ‏.‏