A worker in an exhibition requested a raise in his salary but was not given one, so he took the increase from the exhibition’s funds without the owner’s knowledge. What is the ruling?

Question:
The first letter in this episode is from one of our brother listeners, who indicated his name with the letters A, J, M, and resides in Riyadh. Our brother says: I have been working in an exhibition for more than ten years, and I asked the owner of this exhibition to increase my salary, but he did not respond and did not increase my salary, nor does he appreciate my circumstances. More than once, I explained my circumstances to him. My question is: If I take an increase above my salary without his knowledge, am I committing a sin? And if so, what should I do with the money I may have taken from this exhibition, given that the owner of the exhibition does not know? I do not know how much I have taken. Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, the worker has no right over the employer except the wage they agreed upon in the contract. It is obligatory for the employer to pay the wage in full and to hasten to pay it to the worker at the end of the work. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is also reported in a hadith that three people will have the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as their opponent on the Day of Resurrection, among them is one who hired a worker, took the full work from him, but did not give him his right. As for what the questioner mentioned about his wage being low, and that he asked the employer to increase it but he refused, this is up to the employer. If he wants to increase the wage, that is better. If he does not wish to do so, the worker has the choice: if he wishes, he can stay with him, and if he wishes, he can go to someone else. However, staying with him while seeing that his wage is low, and then going to take from his money without his knowledge, this is betrayal and is not permissible. What he takes is forbidden for him, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): It is recommended that you have been entrusted with his wealth, so it is not permissible for you to betray him, because his wealth is a trust in your hand. Allah the Exalted said: He, the Exalted and Majestic, said: It is obligatory for you to preserve the trust and not to betray, and do not take from the employer’s money except what he gave you and his soul permitted. Since you have taken something without his knowledge, it is obligatory for you to return it to him, or to seek his forgiveness, because you took it without right. If you do not know the amount, you must estimate it and determine it through ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) and what is most likely in your opinion, then pay it to him, or seek his forgiveness for it. Yes.