Reporting those who abuse asylum program to authorities
9-1-2017 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalaamu alaykum. I am a Muslim citizen of a Western country, and I appreciate that everybody respects the law and abides by the rules. Where I live, the government started a program so that individuals and organizations can sponsor Syrian refugees. Unfortunately, some immigration consultants are using this program to make a huge profit and use this program as tool to bring non-refugees to the country. They basically target rich Syrians in the Gulf states and charge them 8-11 K as fees to bring them to the country. Of course, they are doing this in a way that they do not get caught. The problem here is that the government will bring a limited number of refugees, and those rich people are taking the spots of people who really are in need. The other thing is that the intention of the program is to help people who are living in tents, and unfortunately those consultants, who are Arab Muslims, are using it to pocket huge profits from people who live luxurious lives in the Gulf states. My question is, should I inform the government about these practices? I do not want do harm to anyone, but I really see it as a fraud and unfair to those for whom the program was created. I really need your insight on whether I should go ahead and inform the officials so that they may close those loopholes. May Allaah reward you.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
It is impermissible to resort to fraud, cheating, and deceit as that mentioned in the question. The person to whom the eligibility criteria for obtaining asylum and the consequent benefits do not apply does not have the right to resort to fraud to obtain asylum. If an undeserving person resorted to lying, fraud, or bribes in order to obtain asylum, then he has combined the sins of consuming wealth unlawfully and infringement of the rights of others along with those of lying, fraud, or offering bribes. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it (in bribery) to the rulers in order that (they might aid) you (to) consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know (it is unlawful).} [Quran 2:188]
The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Whoever cheats, he is not one of us.” [Muslim]
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with them, said, “The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, cursed the one who offers a bribe and the one who takes it.” [At-Tirmithi graded it hasan saheeh (good or sound)]
Those who take up such illegal actions as a profession are committing a grave sin; it is incumbent on them to refrain from such actions. They should be advised and admonished about the prohibition of their actions. If they continue to carry out these illegal actions, then they should be reported to the concerned authorities in order for them to put an end to their cheating and fraud and give the rights to the rightful beneficiaries.
Allah knows best.