Receiving a gift for assisting a student with his assignment

Question:-

I helped someone to do his university assignment and he gave me some money in lieu of it. Am I allowed to use this money or is it Haraam?

Answer:-

We understand that you voluntarily assisted a student with his university assignment. We assume that there was no restriction placed upon the student whereby he was required to do the assignment by himself. Anyway, as a token of appreciation, he offered a gift to you either in cash or kind, which you had no hope of receiving. There is no harm in accepting the gift from him.

ذكر ابن بطال في كتاب الزكاة، في باب: من أعطاه الله شيئاً من غير مسألة ولا إشراف نفسٍ في شرح قول النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – لعمر: ” إذا جاءَك مِنْ هذا المال شيءٌ وأنت غير سائلٍ ولا مُشرفٍ فخُذْهُ ” (احمد ص52 ج1 / البخاري 1473 / مسلم 1045/ ابن حبان 3403)

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 21 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1444 / 18 October 2022