KUALA LUMPUR – It is sinful for a lawyer to defend people who are known to have committed offence and the payment they receive for their service is haram.
The Mufti of Perlis, Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said that the sins of taking money from the offenders is worse than income from prostitution.
“The sin of a prostitute is only between her and Allah. Meanwhile, the sin from the legal fee obtained from the unlawful act is an oppression against the other party,” said Mohd Asri.
He answered the question by several lawyers on their career if they become defence counsel to the oppressors who are at wrong.
Mohd Asri said, the principles of Islam require them to defend the righteous and forbid them from protecting the wrongdoers or sinners.
He said, the truth and offence are measured by the knowledge of a person about the things that they are defending.
“If you believe that is the truth, based on your knowledge and confidence, then, that defence would become a reward for you, although there is a possibility that in other people’s opinion, that person is wrong.
“The same goes with the offences. If you know what you are defending is wrong, or you believe that it is wrong, but you defend it because of your personal interest or obsession or unjust, thus, you sin,” he said.
Therefore, Mohd Asri said that a lawyer should evaluate their cases before accepting them.
Oppression would be claimed from them in this life, or the afterlife.
“If it involves properties, or life, or dignity or anything at all, thus, the prayers from the oppressed would hunt the people who oppressed them.
“Life is not merely in the court. Outside the court, that is the real life of the lawyers themselves.
“The same as their afterlife. Allah would not forget the oppressors. Thus, be careful with each case you take and defend so that you would not oppress other people,” said Mohd Asri. -MalaysiaGazette
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