State Property: Repenting from and Compensating for Personal Use of Public Funds

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

State Property: Repenting from and Compensating for Personal Use of Public Funds

English:

Question #1940:

I made personal use of the public assets of Muslims. What should I do to be released? And what is the threshold of the employee’s personal use of public funds? If it was done with the permission of the officials concerned, how should it be treated?

Answer #1940:

There is no objection to employees making use of public properties during official hours. Yet, it is confined to the extent that it is conventional, necessary, needed and job circumstances indicate that the employees are allowed to use it. The same goes for the permission of the person in a place of legitimate authority. Should the way you have gone about making use of the public property fit any of these two ways, you need not worry. However, should the personal use be outside the remit of what is traditionally acceptable or has been enjoyed without authoritative permission, you have to return the very item to the state coffers if it is available or the value thereof if it is not. You should also pay to the state coffers the normal hiring charge for the item, if applicable.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of State Property