What Should I Do About Cheating to Get Into University?

Question

If I enter university through illegitimate means (such as using a high school certificate that was heavily cheated on to apply), will the knowledge I gained at the university and the degree I get be haram for me to use even if I passed all the exams in the university honestly, since I wouldn’t have obtained that knowledge and degree if I had not cheated and lied to apply? And will the income from said knowledge and degree also be haram?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to what pleases Him. Amin.

Your current academic trajectory is founded upon an act of deception. You should repent to Allah for this. Repentance includes rectifying the consequences of your past sins and making amends. Should you continue without rectifying the deception, it would perpetually cast a shadow of doubt on your repentance, knowledge, credentials, degree, income, and related matters.

Honesty and Integrity vs. Deception and Cheating

In Islam, honesty and integrity are highly valued, and engaging in deceitful or fraudulent acts is strictly prohibited. Cheating and using forged documents to gain admission to a university are clear violations of these principles. Therefore, the actions you described are considered sinful and would have negative consequences.

Allah says: “And whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah, He is sufficient for him.” [Quran, 65:3]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Whoever deceives us is not of us.” [Muslim]

Imam Nawawi commented on the hadith above: “It means, according to the scholars, that he has not followed our guidance and acted upon our knowledge, our deeds, and our good methodology; it is the same when a man says to his son when he is not satisfied by his act, ‘you are not from me.’ The same thing can be said about all the hadiths mentioned about this meaning, such as his saying: “Whoever cheats is not one of us,” and the like.” [Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim]

The Acquired Knowledge

The knowledge acquired during your studies at the university is not inherently evil in and of itself. Knowledge itself is a valuable and noble pursuit in Islam. However, in the specific scenario, you presented, where the knowledge and degree were obtained through dishonest means, the situation becomes more complicated.

Based on the general principles of Islamic ethics, the following points can be considered:

The intention behind your actions: If you genuinely repent for your past misdeeds and sincerely try to rectify the situation, seeking forgiveness from Allah, then your intention to change and improve may mitigate the severity of the situation.

Consequences of Your Actions: While the knowledge may not be inherently evil, its acquired methods doubt its validity and reliability. The academic degree obtained through fraudulent means lacks integrity and raises ethical concerns.

Potential harm and social consequences: Using a deceitfully obtained degree can harm individuals or society. If your professional work requires high competence and trustworthiness, your dishonesty could negatively impact others and undermine the public’s trust in your abilities.

Rectifying Mistakes

Therefore, rectifying the situation by consulting with the school or university administrators and addressing the issue honestly is advisable. Seek their guidance on how to proceed and whether your current certificate should be revoked. Rectifying the consequences of your past actions is crucial for sincere repentance and moving forward in a manner that upholds Islamic values and principles.

May Allah guide us all and facilitate the path of repentance and rectification.

I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.