What should I do if I learn that an employee has leaked confidential company information, and would informing his manager be considered backbiting, or would silence make me complicit in covering for him?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If the information is a company secret, it is not permissible to disclose it, because disclosing a secret is a betrayal. What this employee is doing is wrong (munkar), so he must be advised and reminded of Allah. If he does not stop after being advised, he should be threatened with reporting him to the authorities. If he still does not stop, then there is no harm in reporting him to them. This is out of sincere advice (nush) and not out of instigation (fitna). Remaining silent about this is the true instigation (fitna).
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/69266
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 69266
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy