Some people are scrupulous about taking government money; is this correct?
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The questioner : Some people are scrupulous about taking money...
The Shaykh : A man said to Imam Ahmad, "I am scrupulous about dipping my pen in my neighbor's inkwell to write with it." He said, "This is unjust scrupulousness." The scrupulousness of these people today about taking government money is unjust scrupulousness based on ignorance. In the past, state funds came from taxes and oppression. Now, state funds do not come from taxes; not one in a thousand, nor one in a million, of state funds comes from taxes. So there is a difference between what some of the Salaf were scrupulous about in the past and state funds today. State funds, praise be to Allah, are sources in the earth that contain no doubt, unlike what came before. Also, the basis of some of the Salaf who were scrupulous was not that it was oppression, although most of it, as far as we know, was oppression. Rather, they feared that the ruler would enslave them with what he gave them, because souls are inclined to submit to whoever does them good. They feared that this would be buying their consciences. So they avoided it. But most of them, as far as I know, disliked the wealth of the sultan because at that time it was based on bribery and oppression. A woman once came to Abu 'Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal and said, "O Abu 'Abdullah, the sultan passes by us with his lights, and our weaving work increases because of the strength of the light. Is this increase permissible for us?" Glory be to Allah! He said, "Yes, it is permissible, because it is not as if you came and intentionally wove in this light." When she turned to leave, it seemed as if Imam Ahmad was thinking. He said, "This question does not come from an ordinary person; there must be a reason." He asked the person next to him, "Who is this?" He said, "This is the sister of Ibrahim ibn Adham." He said, "Send her back." So they sent her back. He said, "Do not do it." The scrupulousness has left your home. Look, he first issued a ruling of permissibility, thinking she was an ordinary woman, and in the end he issued a ruling saying, "Do not do it," because there is a difference. A dirty garment, if a new spot of dirt comes on it, it does not affect it. But a clean garment that has not a trace of dirt, if the slightest thing comes on it, it affects it. This is part of his jurisprudence, may Allah have mercy on him: that a person may issue a ruling based on what the situation requires, but within the limits of the Shari'ah. I forgot, I think it was Tawus or someone else from the Tabi'un, who issued a ruling to his son about something, and the son thought it was severe. He said, "Either you accept it, or I will bring you the opinion of so-and-so." The son knew that the opinion of so-and-so was stricter than what his father had said.
The Shaykh : A man said to Imam Ahmad, "I am scrupulous about dipping my pen in my neighbor's inkwell to write with it." He said, "This is unjust scrupulousness." The scrupulousness of these people today about taking government money is unjust scrupulousness based on ignorance. In the past, state funds came from taxes and oppression. Now, state funds do not come from taxes; not one in a thousand, nor one in a million, of state funds comes from taxes. So there is a difference between what some of the Salaf were scrupulous about in the past and state funds today. State funds, praise be to Allah, are sources in the earth that contain no doubt, unlike what came before. Also, the basis of some of the Salaf who were scrupulous was not that it was oppression, although most of it, as far as we know, was oppression. Rather, they feared that the ruler would enslave them with what he gave them, because souls are inclined to submit to whoever does them good. They feared that this would be buying their consciences. So they avoided it. But most of them, as far as I know, disliked the wealth of the sultan because at that time it was based on bribery and oppression. A woman once came to Abu 'Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal and said, "O Abu 'Abdullah, the sultan passes by us with his lights, and our weaving work increases because of the strength of the light. Is this increase permissible for us?" Glory be to Allah! He said, "Yes, it is permissible, because it is not as if you came and intentionally wove in this light." When she turned to leave, it seemed as if Imam Ahmad was thinking. He said, "This question does not come from an ordinary person; there must be a reason." He asked the person next to him, "Who is this?" He said, "This is the sister of Ibrahim ibn Adham." He said, "Send her back." So they sent her back. He said, "Do not do it." The scrupulousness has left your home. Look, he first issued a ruling of permissibility, thinking she was an ordinary woman, and in the end he issued a ruling saying, "Do not do it," because there is a difference. A dirty garment, if a new spot of dirt comes on it, it does not affect it. But a clean garment that has not a trace of dirt, if the slightest thing comes on it, it affects it. This is part of his jurisprudence, may Allah have mercy on him: that a person may issue a ruling based on what the situation requires, but within the limits of the Shari'ah. I forgot, I think it was Tawus or someone else from the Tabi'un, who issued a ruling to his son about something, and the son thought it was severe. He said, "Either you accept it, or I will bring you the opinion of so-and-so." The son knew that the opinion of so-and-so was stricter than what his father had said.