An identity card with a photograph

Question

Nowadays the Government of Pakistan has brought out a curse — the identity card: every person must have this identity card with a photograph on it; whoever does not have one will be considered a spy and put in jail. Now what is the ruling for the ‘ulama’ and the righteous on complying with this order, even if under compulsion? We are extremely troubled.

Answer

When one has to live in a country as a citizen and there is no escape from it, one will have to act according to the laws of that country; violating the law is an offence in its own right, the punishment for which may even be unbearable. Just as, because of legal compulsion, some employees have to take out insurance, which involves both gambling (qimar)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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