Q: When applying for a grant to be used for a specific purpose, is it permissible for one to use the grant received for a different purpose?
الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب
A: If the award of the grant is based on qualifying criteria then the criteria must be satisfied for the grant to be permissible. If the terms of the awarding body allow use of the grant for other than the stated use then it is permissible to use the grant for another use, otherwise not.
If the award of the grant is discretionary, i.e., the awarding body has the discretion to award the grant or not irrespective of any qualifying criteria then such award is essentially a gift. If one applies for the grant for a stated use intending to use it for the same and only subsequent to receipt of the grant changes one’s mind one may use the grant for other than the stated use. However, if one had no intention to use the grant for the stated use right from the onset then this is fraud and impermissible.
A partial award will also follow the above principle.