Can I Ask My Father for Money Implying That It Is for School Fees?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
Is it permissible to ask my father for more money than my actual study fees without explicitly stating it’s for fees? Is the extra cash halal?
Answer
Thank you for your question. No, it is not permissible to ask your father for an amount and imply that the whole amount is for school fees when it isn’t. Be clear and transparent, and treat others as you would want to be treated yourself.
Lying
Consider this important hadith: The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “It is obligatory for you to tell the truth, for the truth leads to virtue and virtue leads to Paradise, and the man who continues to speak the truth and endeavors, to tell the truth, is eventually recorded as truthful with Allah. And beware of telling of a lie, for telling of a lie leads to obscenity, and obscenity leads to Hellfire, and the person who keeps telling lies and endeavors to tell a lie is recorded as an inveterate liar with Allah.” [Bukhari]
Often, you will find that you get what you need by telling the truth. Lies have a way of coming back full circle and biting you, so don’t bother with them. Tell your father exactly what the extra money is for, and don’t take advantage of someone who loves and supports you.
I Never Lied
I ask you to ponder this saying of Imam Shafi‘i and imagine what kind of person could say this, “I never lied, or swore by Allah, or left the ritual bath on Friday. I did not have a full stomach for sixteen years, except once, and I did not go back to it.” [Mirqat al-Mafatih ‘Ala Sharh Miskhat al-Masabih]
Please see these links as well:
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
