Are the fees collected for renewing a license or permit considered taxes?
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The questioner : O honorable Shaykh! Are the fees collected for renewing a license or permit considered taxes?
The Shaykh : Yes. Anything taken without right is a tax, and it is forbidden. It is not permissible for a person to take his brother's money without right, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1554a However, the Muslim must listen and obey, and he should listen to the rulers and obey the rulers. If they demand money for these things, he should hand it over to them. Then, if he has a right, he will find it before him; and if he has no right, then his right has been taken from him. I say, if he has a right, he will find it before him; and if he has no right, because the one who took it from him did so with justice, then he has no right. The important thing is that it is obligatory for us to listen and obey the rulers. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1847b It is not permissible for us to take such matters as a means to disparage the rulers, curse them in gatherings, or do the like of that. Let us be patient, and what we do not attain in this world, we will attain in the Hereafter.
The questioner : O Shaykh, regarding the one who is able to...
The Shaykh : Listen and obey, as the Messenger said, listen and obey, yes.
The Shaykh : Yes. Anything taken without right is a tax, and it is forbidden. It is not permissible for a person to take his brother's money without right, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If you were to sell fruits to your brother) and these is a stricken with Calamity, it is not permissible for you to get anything from him. Why do you get the wealth of your brother, without jutification?
إذا بعت من أخيك ثمراً فأصابته جائحة، فلا يحل لك أن تأخذ منه شيئاً، بم تأكل مال أخيك بغير حق؟even if your back is flogged and your wealth is snatched, you should listen and obey
اسمع وأطع وإن ضرب ظهرك وأخذ مالكThe questioner : O Shaykh, regarding the one who is able to...
The Shaykh : Listen and obey, as the Messenger said, listen and obey, yes.