Changing the Religion Entry for a Worldly Purpose

Question: A young Muslim man who holds a university degree in engineering travelled to one of the Arab countries in search of work, but was unsuccessful. He observed that non-Muslims were more readily accepted—especially in his field—and were preferred over their Muslim counterparts. Concluding that his failure to find employment was due to his being identified as a Muslim, he decided to return home and attempt to change the religion stated in his passport. He then travelled to an African country, obtained a passport there that lists a religion other than Islam, and subsequently journeyed to another Arab country, where he was accepted and secured a job. He is, however, pained by having altered the religion entry in his passport, even though, inwardly, he is a Muslim and proud of his faith. He therefore asks: What is the ruling on what he has done, and what is the ruling on earning money in this manner?

Answer: First, a Muslim must hold fast to his religion and never compromise it under any circumstances, for religion is his true capital—upon it depends safety from the punishment of Allah. Indeed, it is for this purpose that humankind was created, as the Exalted says: “I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.” (adh-Dhariyat 51:56)

Therefore a Muslim must cling to his faith no matter what it costs him. What you have done—travelling elsewhere and changing the religion designation to something other than Islam in order to obtain employment—is extremely grave; it constitutes apostasy from Islam, for you have outwardly professed a religion other than Islam and affiliated yourself with