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Today I rode a rickshaw. After reaching my destination, I asked the driver how much the fair was. He asked for an impossible fare and wanted extra money for "the waiting"(which was still too high). I offered him the standard fare that I regularly do but he refused it and showed arrogance. Then I got angry and asked him, "if you don't take the right fare, I won't give you a single penny." I tried to come to negotiation but he did not. Then I didn't pay him a single penny. I donated the whole money and even more than that.

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries.” (Sahih)

So I really feel guilty for not paying him. I intended to pay him but he was asking an illegal fare. Also he was trying to make a public scene that I was going to betray a poor person, so that he could get paid as he wanted. I wonder if I committed a sin.

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    Basically you need to ask a scholar in your community about this to get real answer since good knowledege of your society and social climate etc. is absolutely necessary... I am no scholar... IMHO you should have paid him what you think is fair... and additionaly make sadaqqa with a similar amount... BUT the origin of the problem is that you need to agree on the amount of payment BEFORE any work starts!!! This helps to avoid problems like this.
    – Yahia
    Commented Mar 17, 2013 at 10:25
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    When this happens, especially in foreign countries, I ask them for identification, take pictures of the id, and tell them that I'd agree to pay them the amount they ask for if they're fine with me reporting them later. If they actually agree to it, it's usually a fair and legal price.
    – Muz
    Commented Mar 18, 2013 at 6:01

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The critical point of the question is that "more than the agreed upon labor cost" was demanded. However, in the question there is not a single sentence stating that the fare had been discussed ahead of time beforehand. I did not see evidence you asked him "how much will it be?" at the very beginning; it could very well have never happened.

If the price was not even requested at the time and no contract thereby established, then where is the "agreed upon" labor cost?

You also did not state when you asked him how much will it cost for him to wait: "Regular pay" may not even apply in this case.

It is unfair to hold the driver to any contract that he never transacted by binding him to a labor cost that he never agreed to, even if he (or other drivers) had agreed to a similar price in the past. Therefore, it should be discussed between you and the driver again (if possible).

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