Question Summary:
The company I work for, pays for 15 days of my stay when I relocate to another country to meet my project needs. I need to submit the bill and get it reimbursed.

Question Detail:

The company I work for, pays for 15 days of my stay when I relocate to another country to meet my project needs. I need to submit the bill and get it reimbursed.

Issue is that I do not have that bill since I stayed at my friend's place and paid rent for full month along with him and he has the bill ( and he left with the bill). I asked the owner for another such bill for myself and he demands some money in return. Is it OK according to shariah to get the bill and pay him some money, i guess this is clear bribe, which I think is Haram, please suggest. Should I go ahead to get the bill or just forget about it even though I am liable to reimburse the money?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
If it is possible to get the bill from your friend, then you should do so. If you cannot obtain the bill from your friend and there is no other means for you to obtain the bill from the owner besides acceding to his demands to pay him for the bill, then you may do so. The owner will be guilty  of the sin of extracting money from you for no justifiable course in Shariah.
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best


Wassalamu Alaykum


Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah