Is It a Lie to Tell the Bus Conductor “I Am a Student”? – Shar‘i Guidance
(Taken from: Aḥkām wa Masā’il – Issues of Buying & Selling, vol. 1, p. 385)
❖ Question:
My village is 30 km away from my office, and the fare to reach there is 20 rupees. I am also a student. I work in an office until 1 p.m. and then teach tuition at the same place. If I pay the full fare daily, almost all of my salary is spent on transport. Since I am also a student, if I tell the conductor “I am a student,” would this be considered a lie?
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā ba‘d:
① You mentioned that your fare is 20 rupees. If this is one-way fare, then the monthly expense is about 600 rupees. If it is round-trip fare, then it is 1,200 rupees per month.
② Even if it is 1,200 rupees monthly, it is unlikely that all of your salary is consumed by fares. It appears your salary is more than that, so your statement that “all my salary is spent on fares” seems inaccurate.
③ If you are genuinely a student, recognized by the government and holding a valid student card that entitles you to a fare concession, then telling the conductor you are a “student” and availing the concession is not a lie.
④ However, if you do not possess official proof (such as a government-issued student card), and you only make a verbal claim of being a student in order to obtain a concession, then this is considered lying and deception.
❖ Conclusion
✔ If you have a student card and are legally recognized as a student, then telling the conductor “I am a student” is truthful and permissible.
✘ But if you have no proof and only claim it verbally to gain benefit, then it is a lie and not permissible.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
