The Ruling on Spending from Money One Was Not Permitted to Take, or from Gambling

This is a letter we received from Sudan, from a questioner who used the initials (A. W. K. H.) from the Khartoum Directorate. He says: My father works as a cook in the hospital for a limited wage, but he takes food supplies from the hospital, such as oil and others, in addition to his known wage. We advised him about this, but he refused on the grounds that these food supplies are available and there is no harm in taking them. Then the family stopped eating from these supplies, and my eldest brother started spending on the family, even though he is involved in gambling. We advised him as well, but he refused. After that, our mother started working in buying and selling to provide us with a decent livelihood. The question is: Is there a religious necessity for us to take from these supplies brought in without right, or should we take from our brother’s money which is mixed with gambling, or should we remain on our mother’s support, which has become strained? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: It is obligatory for your father to fear Allah and to be content with the wage agreed upon for him, and to leave taking from the supplies in his care, which he is trusted with from the hospital. He has no right to take anything from them except with permission from the authority. So he should not take from the meats, nor from the oil, nor from anything else except with permission. Likewise, your brother must fear Allah and leave gambling, which is qimar (gambling), and it is a great prohibition from the major sins. So you should advise the father and the brother, and likewise your good brothers should advise the father and the brother with you. Cooperate in giving advice, for religion is advice. And thus Muslims advise one another. If your father and your brother accept, then praise be to Allah. Otherwise, you have fulfilled what is required of you regarding advice. There is no harm in eating from what your mother brings from her good earnings, and she is rewarded and thanked. And if your brother gives you something and you do not know that it is from gambling, then there is nothing wrong. Or if your father gives you something other than the extra supplies he takes, there is no harm. But if you know that what your brother gave you is from gambling, do not take it. Or if you know that what your father gave you is from the same betrayal, do not take it. We ask Allah for guidance for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you and thank you.