Correspondence with Non-Muslim Taxpayers

سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ لَهُ الْحَاجَةُ إِلَى الْمَجُوسِيِّ أَوْ إِلَى الْيَهُودِيِّ أَوْ إِلَى النَّصْرَانِيِّ أَوْ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَامِلًا أَوْ دِهْقَاناً مِنْ عُظَمَاءِ أَهْلِ أَرْضِهِ فَيَكْتُبُ إِلَيْهِ الرَّجُلُ فِي الْحَاجَةِ الْعَظِيمَةِ أَ يَبْدَأُ بِالْعِلْجِ‌[1] وَ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَ إِنَّمَا يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ لِكَيْ تُقْضَى حَاجَتُهُ قَالَ أَمَّا أَنْ تَبْدَأَ بِ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) was asked about the case of a man who needs help from a Majusi (Zoroastrian) or a Jew, a Christian or that he is a farm employee of the influential people of his land and writes to him for an important need, should he begin by offering greetings of peace to the chief in writing, knowing that he d

لَا بَأْسَ إِذَا فَعَلَ لِاخْتِيَارِ الْمَنْفَعَةِ.

“The Imam was asked about the case of a man who writes to a chief officer of Majus and begins with the name of the chief before his own name. The Imam said, ‘It is permissible if it is for seeking favors.’”