Writing petitions for people, which involves lying
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 20353 )
Q1: I am not a public scribe, but people come to me to write petitions and the like for them during their complaints and lawsuits in the courts. Just as a person with a right may come to you, so may an oppressor come to you, and both may make false statements in order to win the case. This is in addition to the techniques and evasions that I, as a writer, might use. I ask your Eminence: Is this work not forbidden?
A1: If you write people’s complaints and lawsuits as their owners dictate them to you, and you do not know that they contradict the truth and reality, then there is no blame or sin on you for what you write for them, for there is no harm in that. Any lying or error that occurs in them which you do not know about, its sin is on the one who said it. However, if you know that what they are asking you to write is a lie and falsehood, it is not permissible for you to write it for them; because in
that lies assisting them in falsehood and sin. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:2] And He, the Exalted, said: [An-Nisa 4:107] , and you must advise the one you know is lying in what he claims, remind him of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and the warning that follows the one who commits lying and claims falsehood, so that perhaps he may accept the advice and abandon what he has resolved to do. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q1: I am not a public scribe, but people come to me to write petitions and the like for them during their complaints and lawsuits in the courts. Just as a person with a right may come to you, so may an oppressor come to you, and both may make false statements in order to win the case. This is in addition to the techniques and evasions that I, as a writer, might use. I ask your Eminence: Is this work not forbidden?
A1: If you write people’s complaints and lawsuits as their owners dictate them to you, and you do not know that they contradict the truth and reality, then there is no blame or sin on you for what you write for them, for there is no harm in that. Any lying or error that occurs in them which you do not know about, its sin is on the one who said it. However, if you know that what they are asking you to write is a lie and falsehood, it is not permissible for you to write it for them; because in
that lies assisting them in falsehood and sin. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِAnd do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allah loves not one who is a habitually sinful deceiver.
وَلاَ تُجَادِلْ عَنِ الَّذِينَ يَخْتَانُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.