Is it permissible for a worker or an employee to take a day`s wage although absent on that day for no valid excuse?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
A worker or an employee is entrusted and deserves wages by doing his/her job or dedicating full time for it. He/she isn`t allowed to receive pay without working. Moreover, it isn`t lawful to take the wage for a day of work in which he/she was absent for no valid excuse as doing this is tantamount to eating up people`s wealth unjustly. In this regard, Allah says (What means), "And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people’s property." {Al-Baqarah, 188}.
When a Muslim doesn`t do the work required of him/her, then he/she doesn`t have the right to receive salary, and this includes workers of public as well as private sector. In this particular matter, the degree of prohibition increases in the case of the public servant. Such an employee, in case he/she doesn`t do the work required of him/her, has transgressed against the funds of the Muslim nation. The evidence on this is that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) says, "Some men acquire Allah’s Property (such as the funds of the Muslim state treasury, Zakah etc.) and they will go to Hell on the Day of Resurrection.” [Related by Bukhari/3118}.
In conclusion, whoever took property without right must make sincere repentance to Allah and give back rights to whom they belong before the Day of Reckoning arrives since on that day neither wealth nor sons will avail. What avails is bringing the Lord a sound heart. And Allah the Almighty knows best.