Is My Income Halal If I Did Not Study the Qualifying Training Properly?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

I graduated from a university. I was skipped lectures because they were too far away. At the time no one asked me about my presence and I passed all exams and graduated. Now I’ve realised the lectures were mandatory. Is my income halal?

Answer

The permissibility of your income depends on you having the skillset that your university studies were supposed to give you, as your employer expects you to have them after seeing your qualification. If you do not have them you must make this clear to your employer.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said one of the signs of the hypocrite is that “when he is entrusted he betrays [that trust].” (Bukhari) Based on this, if your merely passing the exams means you don’t have all the skills you employer expects you to have you need to mention this him. If he is fine with it your income is permissible.

You can also speak to the university and explain your situation. They may be able to tell you if you missed out on learning various practical skills necessary for your profession.

It might be hard, but upholding a trust will bring you much good from Allah. May Allah facilitate the matter for you.

And Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
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.