I work as a government employee and I perform the duties assigned to me. When I finish work, I read the Qur'an and some religious books. Will I be sinful for doing so?

The questioner : I work as a government employee and I perform the duties assigned to me. When I finish work, I read the Qur'an and some religious books. Will I be sinful for doing so?

The Shaykh : You will not be sinful if a person performs the work required of him, whether it is time-based or field-based. He is free to do what he wishes with the remaining time, but he is free only within the limits of the regulations. For example, if an employee is prohibited from engaging in trade, and his official work ends while the rest of the day remains with no work for him, he must not engage in trade as long as the regulations require the prohibition. This is because he entered into this contract with the government, one of whose conditions is that he not engage in trade. Therefore, he must fulfill that condition, as Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: and as Allah the Exalted said: However, if the work does not conflict with what the regulations require, he is free to do it, and no one can prevent him from it. I said that this applies whether the work is time-based or field-based. Sometimes the work is field-based, such as an inspector who visits the responsible departments he is required to inspect. Once he finishes his work there, he is free with the remaining time. As for the employee whose work is measured by time, he is the one who records his attendance and departure.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.