Question Summary:
Is money which is collected from avoid taxes halaal

Question Detail:

I have two question to ask of which me and my friends have alot of debate on.
1.  According to my understanding begin citizen of South Africa we should pay all taxes demanded by the goverment in full. There is a perception that as this is not an Islamic country that it is justified to avoid paying taxes.  Is money which is collected from avoid taxes halaal?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

Muslim citizens residing in non-Muslim countries should abide by those rules and laws of their countries which are non-un-Islamic. A Government is put in position to serve its citizens. It can not be expected of the Government to generate its own income. The taxes on the citizens serve to provide a financial source for the Government to provide us services. As citizens we enjoy many facilities provided by the Government. We cannot expect to be citizens of a country and not contribute to the facilities and expenses of the Government.

We are living in a non-Muslim country which in governed by its own Constitution. The Government is bound to work within the confines of its constitution and may thus do many things we disagree with due to those issues being un-Islamic. That is another issue and beyond out control. However, that alone is no justification for us not paying taxes.

Paying exhorbitant taxes is a more specific issue than your general question of not paying taxes at all.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah