Is Being a Passenger in a Car Whose Driver Violates Traffic Laws Sinful?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Is it sinful to ride in a car whose driver is breaking traffic laws, even if you tell him to do the right thing, but he continues to break the law? In this case, what should be done?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health.
If you are a passenger in a car where the driver is breaking the laws of the road, you will not be sinful. It is a sin upon the driver as he is committing it. You did what was right by advising him not to, although he continues breaking the law.
There are three ways and levels of faith to change wrongdoing being committed. First is by hand, the second is by the tongue like you have done in your case, and the third is by thinking of the wrongdoing as evil in one’s heart.
Whoever Sees Evil Should Change It If Possible
Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot do so, then with his tongue. If he cannot do so, then with his heart, which is the weakest level of faith.” [Muslim]
Related: Obeying the Law of the Land in the West
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
