[Q 730] Paying Undercharged Bill at Non-Muslim Restaurant

Question

If a non muslim restaurant or any other place gives you a wrong bill, which has less the amount of money you owe them. Can you pay that bill without pointing out the mistake?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

In the aforementioned situation, it is evident that when the restaurant staff realize they have given you an incorrect bill, they will correct it and demand the full amount from you, because they did not willingly agree to give you a reduced bill. Therefore, in the mentioned scenario, knowingly paying a reduced bill is not permissible. Even if it is a restaurant owned by disbelievers (kuffar), it is still not religiously permitted, because while it is permissible to acquire the property of a disbeliever with their consent, here there is no consent; rather, it has occurred due to a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge.

In Fatawa Ridawiyyah it is stated:

“It is permissible to engage in those transactions for one’s benefit with a non-Dhimmi, non-Musta’man non-Muslim (kafir asli) that are impermissible with a Muslim, a Dhimmi, or a Musta’man, provided there is no deception (ghadr). For deception and breach of trust are absolutely forbidden with everyone, be it a Muslim or a non-Muslim, a Dhimmi or a Harbiy, a Musta’man or a non-Musta’man, an original non-Muslim or an apostate.”

And in Hidaya, Fath al-Qadir, and other books, it is stated: `

لِأَنَّ مَالَهُمْ غَيْرُ مَعْصُومٍ، فَبِأَيِّ طَرِيقٍ أَخَذَهُ الْمُسْلِمُ أَخَذَ مَالًا مُبَاحًا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ غَدْرًا`

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, vol. 14, p. 139, Raza Foundation, Lahore)

Answered by: Mubashir Madani (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 10th October 2026