Falsification of Certificate Age to Gain Extra Years of Service
ABM Nazrul Islam from Email
Question: Many people conceal their actual age on their certificates, reducing it by two, four, or five years. Now my question is: What is the consequence, good or bad, of continuing service for an extra two, four, or five years by showing a reduced age until reaching 59-60 or 65-70 years, and drawing that salary?
Answer: People reduce their age for various reasons, including employment. This falls under falsehood. However, if any country or society enacts unreasonable laws that infringe upon people’s rights, and individuals are compelled to resort to such falsehoods to protect their careers and rights from these unfair laws, the full responsibility does not fall solely on the individual; it also lies with the lawmakers. Resorting to falsehood is never correct. But when people are deprived of their ordinary entitlements or rights due to age restrictions in areas such as livelihood, medical care, civil rights, employment, and Hajj pilgrimage, and they resort to falsifying or altering their age, the liability for this can vary. Providing such incorrect birth date information and obtaining employment or benefits through it, while not strictly prohibited in every case, does not align with a high level of piety or God-consciousness (taqwa).
Answered by: Allama Mufti Obaidur Rahman Khan Nadvi
Source: Jameul Fatawa, Islamic Fiqh and Fatwa Encyclopedia.
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