Taking money from others to repair a water tap

Question

Here at our school there is a water tap. To drink its water, the respected ‘Alim (religious scholar) opened the tap with his own hand, and afterwards could not set it right; he brought a mechanic, who repaired it, and to pay the mechanic he forcibly took ten paise (small copper coins, fractions of a rupee) from each student. Is this permissible?

Answer

Whoever damaged the tap is also responsible for having it repaired; taking money from others by force is not right. Yes, if other people give the fee for repairing it gladly, of their own accord, that is another matter.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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