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Fatwa CenterPaying income taxes in UK
Question
There are around 2 million Muslims living in the UK, mostly involved in business and well off. In this country there are taxes on everything, wages, private business etc...which starts from 20 to 40% of one's income. When one works for a company then he can not avoid taxes ..but when you have your own buisness then people try not to declare all the money they earn...which involves lieing and not been honest. Some people argue that the money could be used against Muslims or why pay too much taxes... we can give it to charity. But other opinions say we must respect the rules of this country..and these taxes will go to public sector which everyone use, school, hospitals.. What is the correct ruling on this issue paying some taxes not all of it? (Please note that most businesses hire professional accountants to do their accounts. The accountant will find all sort of ways to munipulate the tax books.)
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
It is permissible for a government to impose taxes on citizens to use that revenue in public sectors and common welfare, such as paving roads, establishing hospitals and schools etc. This is lawful only if the sources of income of the government are insufficient. If a government imposes taxes and does not provide any services against those taxes or the government collects taxes even though the government can spend on its projects from its own treasury then taking taxes becomes prohibited in Islamic Sharia, and then the one who collects the taxes will not enter Paradise. The Prophet said: "The one who collects duties will not enter Paradise". The permissibility of taking taxes is accepted only if there is no misuse of the public money.
If a government collects taxes without taking into consideration the above condition, its imposing taxes is Haram, and under such conditions it is permissible for one to avoid paying taxes to avoid injustice as much as possible.
Allah knows best.
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