Will My Eventual Income Be Haram If I Don’t Disclose Other Students’ Actions to a University Whilst I Am Studying There?
Question:
Assalamu ‘alaykum.
I have a question that I am perplexed about. I have an interview coming up for university. As part of the process, I signed a non-disclosure agreement to notify the university if I was provided any material that would help me during the interview. I was recently added to a group chat that contained some information and left and deleted the group from my phone. The group chat I was added to had my friends in it.
I am confused about what to do because if I inform the university, they will start an investigation and ruin my friend’s lives, including the person who initially leaked the information. I will most likely lose some good friends.
If I don’t tell the university and the university finds out I stayed quiet, they said it could be a serious matter, and I may be excluded from the course. I worry that if I get into the course, and don’t get caught, which is highly likely, and eventually become a doctor, my income will be haram as I was not supposed to be a doctor due to me keeping quiet, and therefore there is a possibility of my exclusion.
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Your Income Will Be Halal
Do not worry. The permissibility of your income is dependant on the job and how you do it. The course and the interview do not have any bearing on it. Pursue the course and intend to serve Allah’s creation through the skills you acquire.
Not Violating a Trust
The document you signed asked about your activity, and you did not do anything to violate it. This is good. Be honest and follow the procedure.
If you have friends who have signed the same document and violated its conditions, then it may be best to give them a gentle reminder about the importance of honesty and trust. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) encouraged us to do this when he said, ”The Religion is sincere counsel.”
Speak to them in a way that will make them see what the issue is and be willing to do something positive about it. Advice is like a surgical knife, not like a sledgehammer.
After this, leave the matter with them. Ask Allah to guide you and them. The rest in their hands.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.
