Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalm Aleikm,

I am working in Manegerial level in a reputed company.As a means to increase my pay , my company is now giving me Turnover Commission ( % of Total sales Turnover) apart from Salary and other perks . I would like to confirm with you that wht i earn by this is Halal?

I would also like to know how should i deal with Income Tax to government ?Should i pay as per law without fail ? or can i skip it ? will skipping result unislamic act before allah`s law?

Thanking you for the light your giving to our life and requesting to include me in your parayers so that i can hold myself in "Sirathul Musthaqeen".

Khuda hafiz

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Cheating on taxes

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I would like to confirm with you that wht i earn by this is Halal?

Respected brother in Islam, as long as the business of the company which employs you and the work that you do is lawful in its essence in Shariah, absolutely regardless of how your salary package is structured, your earnings would be considered absolutely lawful for you in the Sight of Shariah Law.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 29:

29      O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: but let there be amongst you traffic and trade by mutual good-will. 

If the management of the company which employs you has chosen or agreed to pay you a ‘Turnover Commission’ plus perks in addition to your basic salary, there is absolutely no harm in such a package.

The things which determine lawful/unlawful is the nature of the business and the actual work that you do…..not the way your salary package is structured by the company.

Your Question: I would also like to know how should i deal with Income Tax to government ?Should i pay as per law without fail ? or can i skip it ? will skipping result unislamic act before allah`s law?

Firstly brother, the payment of government levied taxes in a nation has to do with legalities of living in that particular nation; and if one does not pay them as demanded by the concerned government, one would be liable for legal prosecution according to the laws of that nation.  Payment or non-payment of the government levied taxes is associated with the laws of this world, and nothing to do with the laws of Islam.

Respected brother in Islam, it would simply not befit the character of a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to do anything illegal or unlawful in their effort to lower the taxes he pays to the authorities of the nation one lives in; but if there exists any legal and lawful loopholes in the law of the land which help reduce the burden of their taxes, one is well within their rights to exercise those lawful options.

But if one were to lie, or misrepresent, or cheat, or deceive, or bribe, or use any other unlawful method in their effort to evade or reduce their taxes….not only would such deceit be considered a crime punishable by law in the courts of this world, it would indeed constitute a sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan