What If I Lied to My Company to Get a Computer for Work?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I’m in this program, and they require a computer. They said if you don’t have a computer, you can talk to the program leader, and they will give you a computer. I have my own computer at home, but it’s kind of broken. It works, but it’s still broken. I lied and said I broke my computer and didn’t have one. I technically lied to get a computer.

Does that mean that whenever I work on this wrongfully taken computer, my work is haram? I lied about my personal computer so that I could get another computer. Is my work considered haram? What should I do?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

This was a deceptive way of acquiring a computer. You would need to repent and seek forgiveness. However, you won’t need to return the computer as it belongs to the employer and you are using it for work. Your income will be halal and earned through your work; thus, it remains permissible.

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) passed by a man selling food. He put his hand in it and saw something wrong with it. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “He is not one of us who cheats.” [Ibn Majah]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction, in sha’ Allah.

Related:

• A Reader on Tawba (Repentance)
• Prayer of Repentance: Salat al-Tawba
• Cheating Archives
• On Lying – Birgivi’s The Path of Muhammad Explained. [Video]
• Deception, Cheating, & Concern – Birgivi’s The Path of Muhammad Explained. [Video]

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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.