Fatwa No : 89033
Ruling on Arranging Bail for a Criminal

Ruling on Arranging Bail for a Criminal

I have a close relative named Adnan Syed who is currently in jail. He has previously been imprisoned multiple times in drug-related and other criminal cases. He called me for a meeting in jail and swore many oaths, saying that he has now sincerely repented and that after being released he will never engage in any wrongdoing again, and that he will adopt a religious and upright lifestyle. He requested me to arrange bail for him so that he may be released. Should I arrange his release on bail or not? Please provide the ruling. May Allah reward you abundantly (Aameen). It should also be noted that he has no parents, and he has a wife and two young children.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

In the situation mentioned, the person Adnan Syed has been involved multiple times in drug-related and other criminal activities and has been imprisoned several times. Therefore, it is highly likely that after being released on bail, he may return to those crimes again. Although he has expressed repentance while in jail, the reality of such repentance can only be assessed after he comes out. From a Shariah perspective, arranging bail for someone about whom there is a strong likelihood that he may again harm society or reoffend is not permissible, because doing so may amount to assisting in sin.
However, if the questioner—knowing the person’s past—sees reliable signs of genuine reform, and has certainty or at least a strong assumption that he will truly remain steadfast on repentance and lead a straight life after release, and the questioner is also capable of supervising him, guiding him, and helping in his reform, then in such a situation, arranging bail may be permissible, since the hope of benefit and reform outweighs the risk.
Therefore, in the present case: If you genuinely believe he has sincerely reformed, and you are capable of supervising and supporting him after bail, then granting bail is permissible. But if you are not confident about his claim of repentance, or you cannot take responsibility for overseeing him after release, then you should avoid arranging his bail.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافی تفسیر القرطبی تحت ( قولہ تعالیٰ: يا أيها الذين آمنوا توبوا إلى الله توبة نصوحا الخ)(الی قولہ) فإن كان الذنب من مظالم العباد فلا تصح التوبة منه إلا برده إلى صاحبه والخروج عنه- عينا كان أو غيره- إن كان قادرا عليه، فإن لم يكن قادرا فالعزم أن يؤديه إذا قدر في أعجل وقت وأسرعه الخ(سورۃ التحریم،الایۃ8، ج18، ص200،ط:دار الکتب المصریۃ)۔
وفی تفسیر ابن کثیر: قوله تعالى: وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان ‌يأمر ‌تعالى ‌عباده ‌المؤمنين ‌بالمعاونة على فعل الخيرات وهو البر، وترك المنكرات وهو التقوى وينهاهم عن التناصر على الباطل والتعاون على المآثم والمحارم،الخ(سورۃ المائدۃ،الایۃ:2،ج3،ص10،ط:دار الکتب العلمیۃ)۔
وفی الصحیح للبخاری: عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال:قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (من كانت له مظلمة لأحد من عرضه أو شيء فليتحلله منه اليوم، قبل أن لا يكون دينار ولا درهم، إن كان له عمل صالح أخذ منه بقدر مظلمته، وإن لم تكن له حسنات أخذ من سيئات صاحبه فحمل عليه الخ(کتاب اللقطۃ،باب من كانت له مظلمة عند الرجل فحللها له، هل يبين مظلمته،ح2317،ج2،ص865،ط:دار ابن کثیر)۔