Liaison office of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al Sistani (L.M.H.L) in London, Europe, North and South America.
It is not permissible for anyone to leave something on the
public road that could cause harm to the pedestrians and others
anywhere in Muslim and non-Muslim countries.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to post bills or write or
engage in other similar activities on the outer walls or billboards that are
owned by others except after obtaining the permission of the
owner.
It is forbidden for a Muslim to betray the trust of someone who
has entrusted him with an item or a deed, even if that person happens to be a
non-Muslim.
It is similarly obligatory upon a Muslim to safeguard the
deposit that has been given to him and give it back in full.
Therefore, one
who works as a cashier or accountant is not allowed to betray the employer and
steal something that is under his control (1) (See the
question-answer section below)
It is neither permissible to steal from the private as well as the
public property of non-Muslims, nor vandalize it, even if that stealing
or vandalizing does not tarnish the image of Islam and Muslims.
Such an act is
counted as perfidy and violation of the guarantee given to non-Muslims
indirectly when one asked permission to enter or reside in that country.
And
it is forbidden to breach the trust and violate the guarantee in regard to
every person irrespective of his religion, citizenship, and beliefs.
(See the
question-answer section below)
It is not permissible to steal the property of non-Muslims when they
enter Muslim countries.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to receive wages and subsidy through
illegal means, and other similar methods, for example, by giving false
information to the authorities.
It is permissible for a Muslim to purchase insurance policy from
various insurance companies for insuring his life and property from fire,
flood, theft, and other perils.
The insurance agreement is considered binding
and cannot be cancelled except with the consent of both parties.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to give false information to the
insurance companies with the purpose of obtaining something that he is not
entitled to just as he is not allowed to intentionally fake an accident like
fire, for example, in order to gain something.
Nor would the insurance
benefits be lawful for him.
(See the question-answer section
below)
At times the higher interests of the Muslims in non-Muslim countries
demand that Muslims seek membership of political parties, enter
parliaments, and representative assemblies.
In such cases, it is permissible
for Muslims to engage in such activities as much as is demanded by the
interest [of the Muslim community] that must be identified by consulting the
trustworthy experts.
Under no circumstance is it permissible to cheat in school exams
irrespective of the fact that cheating is done by mutual help among the
students or by the passing of notes or by duping the inspector and other
illegal methods that are against the [education] system.
(See the
question-answer section below).