2

I have heard that it is not permissible for the clerks to talk by the phones of their office(s) in personal fields (such as speaking to their families and other personal jobs). Since it is not a personal device.

In truth, I wonder if it is a Haram act.

(I’m looking for the viewpoint of the scholars (both Shia and Sunni scholars), because there was not any phone device at the time of the Prophet (SAWW), thus rationally there couldn’t be any related hadith regarding it)

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    Have you asked this before? A very similar question came up a week or two ago. The office phone may not be permissible to talk with families as an office policy. I don't see how this has to do with Islam. Its a phone, a method of communicating. If you want to use the phone then ask your boss.
    – user921
    Dec 22, 2014 at 0:00
  • 1
    Depends on the norms where you live. In our company, they don't pay for the phone services bill based on the minutes that we use, they just pay a flat rate. So, it's very normal to hear people in our office talking to their families or making other personal calls.
    – Atata
    Feb 20, 2016 at 14:46
  • Oh, yea, it is logical as you said "Depends on the norms where you live"
    – اللهم صل علی محمد و آل محمد
    Feb 20, 2016 at 16:18
  • It is your company's phone, not yours. Their phone is their property, not yours. Why not use your own mobile phone? Besides, you don't want company to read history of phone calls and see how their employees abuse their work phones. Big brothers are always watching and remember that, if you care to keep your job.
    – Rita Geraghty
    Dec 7, 2020 at 19:46

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
3

It's related to community norms.

If you use more than community norms and the laws of the office then it's haram.

Source

Improve this answer
1

My answer is going to be a logical one and I will try and include as many resources as possible but it is mainly logical, also bear in mind that I am not being offensive in my answer and don't intend to be!

The only way I can think of this being permissible is if the employer allows you to have this benefit (Ask your manager or read through the code of conduct in your employment contract)!

If not then you need to bear in mind that stealing is not only considered as unlawfully possessing the physical belongings of others rather it can be in many forms, for example: using the neighbours WIFI network without permission, Now that you have this in mind, I want you to consider the following points:

  1. Your employer normally pays you to spend your time carrying out your job role responsibilities and this is normally mentioned within your contract, therefore by spending your time in carrying out unrelated tasks that may mean that you are breaking your agreement(contract) with your employer and gaining income unalwfully!

“and fulfill the promise, surely (every) promise shall be questioned about.” (Surah al-‘Isrā’, 17:34)

“...and the performers of their promise when they make a promise...” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:177)

  1. The phone calls that you are making may be incurring charges to your employer, which means that someone else is baring the consequences of your actions! no matter low the cost may be, reffering to the following hadith:

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (RA) said: Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, “May Allah curse the thief for he steals an egg and his hand is cut off, or he steals a rope and his hand is cut off.”

Regarding your last paragraph, Just because something is not specificaly mentioned in the Quran or hadeeth it does not mean that you can assume it is Halal, we thank GOD for his gift of inteligence that we can use our brain to make such decision by the considerations or assesments that we make:

  • Is it bringing Harm to others.
  • Is it bringing harm to me. The list can go on and on......

"The halal is clear and the haram is clear, and between them are matters unclear that are unknown to most people. Whoever is wary of these unclear matters has absolved his religion and honor. And whoever indulges in them has indulged in the haram. It is like a shepherd who herds his sheep too close to preserved sanctuary, and they will eventually graze in it. Every king has a sanctuary, and the sanctuary of Allah is what He has made haram. There lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound; and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily this piece is the heart."

I'm sure you don't have this intention in your heart, as you are concerned of it being Haram, but as muslims we always consider the consequences of our actions:

Abu Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Nothing is heavier in the scales of a believer on the Day of Judgement than his good behaviour. Allah detests a person who is obscene and shameless”. (Tirmidhi)

Have a look at point no.10 here

I am no scholar I am just trying to help, I may be wrong but Allah Knows Best!

Improve this answer
2

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .