Q: I live in Holland. A friend of us is cheating the social security with his mariagal status. The point is that a married couple will get about 1200 euros from the social security, but this friend did divorce on paper so that his wife could get a seperate social security of about 1000 and he himself about 900 euros. We have advised him several times that he should stop with this and change the situation how it should be i.e. registered as married and thus in case of need only 1 social security income. The person has also 2 children from his brother in Ghana on his name and thus was also getting money for them from the law. My question is, is it aloud to report him due the cheatings he is doing, so that they will stop him. He will have to pay back the money he received unjustly.
A: Islam does not advocate deception and dishonesty. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
وعن ابن عمر وأبي هريرة رضي الله عنهم عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال من حمل علينا السلاح فليس منا رواه البخاري وزاد مسلم ومن غشنا فليس منا (مشكاة رقم 3520)
“The one who deceives and cheats is not from us”
You should politely explain to your friend that he should refrain from such a practice. Once you have explained to him, you are absolved of your duty.
وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ (سورة التغابن)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)