Source: Fatawa 'Ulama-e-Hadith, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1
I have a friend who is currently studying in England. He wishes to inquire whether the following methods for acquiring British nationality are in accordance with Islamic Shari'ah:
① Acquiring nationality through a "paper marriage."
② Acquiring nationality through a process known as "Inter-Tenure."
This is a procedure in which one is required to invest money in a legal business within the UK. After legally running the business for three years and paying all applicable taxes, the government issues a British passport.
Now, the required amount to start such a business must be present in his bank account, but he does not currently possess that amount. He asks whether it would be permissible for him to appoint a lawyer in England who can present a bank statement falsely showing that the necessary funds are available in his account. Would the nationality obtained through this method be considered legally valid according to Islam?
Note: The business he intends to run is halal, and acquiring nationality is not the sole objective. He is genuinely interested in the business.
① First and foremost, both methods you have mentioned for acquiring nationality are fundamentally based on falsehood and deception.
② Secondly, under such delicate circumstances, instead of attempting to run a business in a foreign country like England, one should consider doing business in their own country, such as Pakistan. This way, along with protecting one’s business interests, one can also safeguard one’s faith (iman). While the business may thrive abroad, the danger of losing one’s iman is significantly higher.
I have a friend who is currently studying in England. He wishes to inquire whether the following methods for acquiring British nationality are in accordance with Islamic Shari'ah:
① Acquiring nationality through a "paper marriage."
② Acquiring nationality through a process known as "Inter-Tenure."
This is a procedure in which one is required to invest money in a legal business within the UK. After legally running the business for three years and paying all applicable taxes, the government issues a British passport.
Now, the required amount to start such a business must be present in his bank account, but he does not currently possess that amount. He asks whether it would be permissible for him to appoint a lawyer in England who can present a bank statement falsely showing that the necessary funds are available in his account. Would the nationality obtained through this method be considered legally valid according to Islam?
Note: The business he intends to run is halal, and acquiring nationality is not the sole objective. He is genuinely interested in the business.
① First and foremost, both methods you have mentioned for acquiring nationality are fundamentally based on falsehood and deception.
- In the first method, a false marriage certificate is involved.
- In the second method, a falsified bank balance is presented.
Both constitute lying and fraud, which are entirely inappropriate for any Muslim.
Islam strictly prohibits such vile actions under all circumstances. In fact, the curse of Allah is upon the one who lies. Therefore, any process that is rooted in falsehood can never be permissible in Islam.
② Secondly, under such delicate circumstances, instead of attempting to run a business in a foreign country like England, one should consider doing business in their own country, such as Pakistan. This way, along with protecting one’s business interests, one can also safeguard one’s faith (iman). While the business may thrive abroad, the danger of losing one’s iman is significantly higher.
