The distance of some students' residence from the school is not as stated in the document signed to receive the student's allowance, etc.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. One of the listeners sent a message saying: I am an employee at an intermediate and secondary school, and I oversee the students' monthly allowance for being away from home, subject to two conditions: first, that the student or his guardian presents a document from the Shari'ah court stating that his residence is fifteen kilometers from the school. Second, a certificate from the school administration stating that the student is entitled to the allowance. With these two conditions, the allowance is paid to the student. I work on preparing the certificates and the aforementioned documents, and the school principal signs them. I then submit them to the responsible authorities, and the student receives the allowance based on the document and the certificate. I know that some students are only a few meters from the school, and some have residences two or three kilometers from the school, and the distance stated in the document is incorrect. This continues in this manner, Shaykh Salih. Does he ask whether he should continue in this work, or should he stop it because it contradicts what he knows? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh:
Or does he disburse it without signing?
The questioner:
He signs the certificates and submits them to the authorities.
The Shaykh:
It is not permissible for you to sign these papers which you know are forged, and which are a lie. Rather, it is obligatory for you to adhere to truthfulness; because if you sign them, they will be executed based on your signature, and you will be the one responsible for causing this money to be disbursed without right. So you must fear Allah and not sign anything except what is correct and consistent with the regulatory conditions. Otherwise, what is disbursed while not being consistent is a liability on you, and you are responsible for it. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, and do you good. I notice, Shaykh Salih, that the one who signs is the school principal, but he carries out some procedures and then submits them?
The Shaykh:
Both of them, it appears, the principal and this official sign.
The questioner:
O Allah, send blessings.
The Shaykh:
So both of them bear responsibility, and both are partners in the lie. And in consuming wealth by falsehood. So the principal and any official responsible for applying the system must be truthful, and must not approve or execute anything except what is correct. And this is part of the advice to the one in authority. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 4197Sahih (Darussalam) The employee and the official must maintain the system of the state which was established for the benefit of the Muslims, and must not be lenient in this matter, or perhaps be lenient with some people and strict with others according to his desire. And this is a matter that is not permissible in any case. And it is obligatory to adhere to truthfulness. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah reward you.
The questioner:
If a member of the court learns about this matter, O Shaykh Salih, what is the ruling in that case?
The Shaykh:
Whoever signs and certifies this paper is responsible for what he signed on the Day of Resurrection. But if he did not know, and papers came to him that appeared to meet the requirements of the system, and he did not know, then he is not held accountable; because he acted based on the apparent. And the sin is on the one who knew. Yes.
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. One of the listeners sent a message saying: I am an employee at an intermediate and secondary school, and I oversee the students' monthly allowance for being away from home, subject to two conditions: first, that the student or his guardian presents a document from the Shari'ah court stating that his residence is fifteen kilometers from the school. Second, a certificate from the school administration stating that the student is entitled to the allowance. With these two conditions, the allowance is paid to the student. I work on preparing the certificates and the aforementioned documents, and the school principal signs them. I then submit them to the responsible authorities, and the student receives the allowance based on the document and the certificate. I know that some students are only a few meters from the school, and some have residences two or three kilometers from the school, and the distance stated in the document is incorrect. This continues in this manner, Shaykh Salih. Does he ask whether he should continue in this work, or should he stop it because it contradicts what he knows? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh:
Or does he disburse it without signing?
The questioner:
He signs the certificates and submits them to the authorities.
The Shaykh:
It is not permissible for you to sign these papers which you know are forged, and which are a lie. Rather, it is obligatory for you to adhere to truthfulness; because if you sign them, they will be executed based on your signature, and you will be the one responsible for causing this money to be disbursed without right. So you must fear Allah and not sign anything except what is correct and consistent with the regulatory conditions. Otherwise, what is disbursed while not being consistent is a liability on you, and you are responsible for it. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, and do you good. I notice, Shaykh Salih, that the one who signs is the school principal, but he carries out some procedures and then submits them?
The Shaykh:
Both of them, it appears, the principal and this official sign.
The questioner:
O Allah, send blessings.
The Shaykh:
So both of them bear responsibility, and both are partners in the lie. And in consuming wealth by falsehood. So the principal and any official responsible for applying the system must be truthful, and must not approve or execute anything except what is correct. And this is part of the advice to the one in authority. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Religion is sincerity (An-Nasihah).' They said: 'To whom, O Messenger of Allah?' he said: 'To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the imams of the Muslims, and to their common folk
الدين النصيحة، قلنا لمن يا رسول الله؟ قال لله ولكتابه ولرسوله ولأئمة المسلمين وعامتهم، فمنAdvice to the leaders of the Muslims and their common people
نصيحة لأئمة المسلمين وعامتهمThe presenter:
May Allah reward you with good, and may Allah reward you.
The questioner:
If a member of the court learns about this matter, O Shaykh Salih, what is the ruling in that case?
The Shaykh:
Whoever signs and certifies this paper is responsible for what he signed on the Day of Resurrection. But if he did not know, and papers came to him that appeared to meet the requirements of the system, and he did not know, then he is not held accountable; because he acted based on the apparent. And the sin is on the one who knew. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، يبعد مقر سكن بعض الطلاب عن المدرسة غير ما هو مكتوب في الصك الذي يوقع عليه ليستلم الطالب مكافئة.. الخ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.