Income tax and discounts from merchants

Q: 

1. Is paying Income tax Halal or Haraam?
2. Is it permissable to get offer from merchants? for eg : 10% discount, Buy 1 get 1 free etc?

A:

1. When you are a subject of a country then you are under duress to conform. So you are not wilfully paying the tax, rather it is because of compulsion, Hence, you will not be sinful insha-Allah.
2. It is permissible.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)