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Is it permissible to use work equipment that is not affected by use for personal work outside of the project and official working hours, with compensation to the company by purchasing consumable materials and using one's personal car for work to expedite tasks?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible for an employee to use work tools for personal purposes unless authorized by the employer, whether this authorization is explicit or customary. The employee's donation to the workplace does not justify such actions.

The Permanent Committee has issued a fatwa stating that it is not permissible to use company or administrative tools for private purposes, as this constitutes an infringement on the rights of others without their permission. They cited the Hadith: "The wealth of a Muslim person is not lawful except with his willing consent." However, they permitted taking tools that would be thrown into the garbage because their owners have abandoned them.

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen stated that using government tools for personal purposes is forbidden, except for what causes no harm, such as a ruler. However, a pen, papers, and a photocopier may not be used for private purposes if they are government property.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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