Remuneration For Unworked Hours

QUESTION:

I secured a job at a university working on engineering projects and so on. Afterwards, for various reasons, I didn’t work the number of hours per week that was originally agreed upon. Although my employers did not question it, I did not feel comfortable taking the wage because by the end, I wasn’t actually doing any work. However, I received an email from the administration asking me to withdraw my three-month wage. Am I entitled to this money, or should I inform my employers that I only worked a part of the time agreed to?

ANSWER:

In principle, a person becomes entitled to their full wage when they place themselves at the disposal of the employer during the agreed-upon hours, ready and willing to work, even if the employer fails to assign them tasks. If you were present and ready to work, but the administration failed to provide you with projects or tasks, you are entitled to the full remuneration.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 69)
وهو الأجير (الخاص) ويسمى أجير وحد (وهو من يعمل لواحد عملا مؤقتا بالتخصيص ويستحق الأجر بتسليم نفسه في المدة وإن لم يعمل كمن استؤجر شهرا للخدمة أو) شهرا (لرعي الغنم) المسمى بأجر مسمى بخلاف ما لو آجر المدة بأن استأجره للرعي شهرا حيث يكون مشتركا إلا إذا شرط أن لا يخدم غيره ولا يرعى لغيره فيكون خاصا وتحقيقه في الدرر وليس للخاص أن يعمل لغيره، ولو عمل نقص من أجرته بقدر ما عمل فتاوى النوازل (وإن) (هلك في المدة نصف الغنم أو أكثر) من نصفه (فله الأجرة كاملة) ما دام يرعى منها شيئا، لما مر أن المعقود عليه تسليم نفسه جوهرة، وظاهر التعليل بقاء الأجرة لو هلك كلها وبه صرح في العمادية

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Ahmed Saeed

Date: 19 Safar 1448 / 04 August 2026

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb