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:

Dear brother

I am not sure whether I committed a sin or not. A colleague and I work on a project together and we have been working since 2 years on it. Recently that colleague himself told me that he is secretly being paid some extra money for that project and some other work he does for the boss. I was so depressed. I told him that ill speak to the boss abt it, even though I had promised him before that I wont tell any 1. SO that was my first sin, that I told the boss abt it, inspite of the promise. Later I asked the colleague to forgive me for telling the boss and he did forgive me, then will Allah forgive me for that?

The second thing is that later on that person told me that he as not just getting paid for that project but other work as well……in which I wasn’t involved. So in that case the extra money he was getting was justified. Now im not sure if that’s true or not. Yesterday the mamagement told him that extra money would be stopped for him from now on.
brother am I responsible for the stoppage of that bonus he was getting and have I sinned. or is it justified cos i was working on the project as well.Secondly if the management decides to pay me a bonus from now on, will that money be halal? What shud I do with it?
I am so guilty. I hope ull reply me soon so that I know what I shud do 

(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:

Bonus Lawful

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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Statement: SO that was my first sin, that I told the boss abt it, inspite of the promise. Later I asked the colleague to forgive me for telling the boss and he did forgive me, then will Allah forgive me for that?

Beloved Sister, because you were working on the same project where your colleague was paid extra by the management, you were well within your rights to clarify the issue with your boss regarding the extra payment. Although it would have been best and closer to piety if you had kept your promise made to your colleague and not revealed the source of your information to your boss.

But since you have clarified the issue with your colleague and sought his understanding and forgiveness, and he has forgiven you….your act to demand your lawful right will not constitute a sin or a transgression in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, Insha Allah.

Your Statement: Yesterday the mamagement told him that extra money would be stopped for him from now on. brother am I responsible for the stoppage of that bonus he was getting and have I sinned.

Beloved sister, in our humble opinion, you are being too harsh on yourself. If the management was paying extra to one employee and not to the other for the same work, you were absolutely within your rights to demand a clarification from the management.

If you have made the management realize the unfairness of their rewarding one employee and not the other for the same work, and they have decided to alter or re-work their incentive policies so that all the employees are compensated on a fair basis….you should not at all blame yourself for the actions of the management. In fact, because you challenged the unfairness of the incentives and were responsible for changing the decision of the management to be more fair amongst its employees, it would constitute a good deed in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, Insha Allah.

Your Question: Secondly if the management decides to pay me a bonus from now on, will that money be halal? What shud I do with it?If the management decides to pay you a bonus, it is obvious they realize the value of your work and obviously think that you are worthy of that extra amount. The bonus amount or extra incentive you receive from your management is absolutely lawful for you according to Shariah Law and you may use it as you will and please.

Your Question: I am so guilty. I hope ull reply me soon so that I know what I shud do

Beloved Sister, commenting on only the information which you made known to us, we think you are being unduly harsh on yourself. As long as you have not unjustly usurped another’s rights, you have in no way transgressed the boundaries of Shariah Law….neither should you hold yourself responsible for the actions or decisions of the management regarding their incentive program towards their employees.

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