#870: Ruling on Examination Malpractice, Its effects on Ones Earnings and Its Corrective Measures afterwards
870. QUESTION
QUESTION: 1)” What is the stand of Islamic sharia when it comes to cheating especially in a national examination? ”
Secondly,,, will cheating examination affect the earnings you get from a job you got due to the results in the cheated exam
Finally, what is the remedy if you have been already involved in such scenario?
ANSWER:
Bismillah wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d:
We ask Allāh to guide us in all our endeavours and open our eyes to see the truth as truth and false as false.
It is not permissible to get involved in cheating during any examination for the following reasons:
1. It is against the initial conditions for enrolling into examinations and institutions of learning, and according to the Sharī’a
“المسلمون على شروطهم”
“Muslims go by their conditions”
One may argue that some schools are not Islamic or the system is not based on Islamic principles. Yes, but when it comes to issues regarding morals and values, the Shari’a does not look at the third party when it asks us to abide by good societal norms. Ibn Abī Zaid Alqairawani mentions in his “Risalah” that Harām does not make non permissible what is already permissible. In other words, Harām remains Harām and Halāl remains Halāl until otherwise excluded by the rules of the Sharī’a. Cheating in an exam has no exclusion.
Allah the exalted says in Suratul Maa’idah:
“ولا يجرمنكم شنآن قوم على أن لا تعدلوا، اعدلوا هو أقرب للتقوى…”
“And let not the enmity of others make you avoid justice. Be just; that is nearer to piety… ”
2. Cheating is done in a secret manner because the cheater doesn’t want to be caught since his muru’ah (image) will be tarnished among the people.
It is clear from the Hadīth in Arba’un An-Nawawī that this is the sign of a wrong doing.
“والإثم ما حاك في نفسك وكرهت أن يطلع عليه الناس”
“The sin is what disturbs your mind and you don’t want people to find out”
These among others should be enough In shā Allāh, most of the reservations we may have are misconceptions that cannot stand as evidences to permit cheating in all forms of tests carried out in order to find out ones capability and competence in whatever form of skill in our daily life.
Concerning what ones earns from a job based on examinations passed through cheating, there are two cases:
1. That one delivers his work according to the agreement one has with his employee.
2. That one fails to discharge his work due to the deficiency he has inherent from the false results.
In the second case, it is clear that ones earnings are not pure.
In the first case however, if one has realised his mistakes, regret his actions and has gone over to make up for his deficiencies while discharging his duties rightly according to agreement, in such a case, his earnings will be pure in shaa Allāh.
Allāh the most Merciful says:
“إلا الذين تابوا من بعد ذالك وأصلحوا فإن الله غفور الرحيم”
“Except those who repent thereafter and do righteous deeds; (for such) verily, Allah is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful” (Surat An-Nur: 5).
Also, in Surat Al-Furqan vs :71,
“ومن تاب وعمل صالحا فإنه يتوب إلى الله متابا”
And whoever repents and does good, he surely turns to Allāh a (goodly) turning.
Now from these and other verses, we can see that after repentance one has to correct his actions presently, otherwise it will not be permissible.
Therefore concerning the remedy when one find himself in such scenario, is what has been mentioned above. But the best step to take is to rewrite the examination without cheating, which will clear all other doubts.
Allah knows best.
Abū Zaid
5th Rabī’u Al-Awwal, 1441AH.
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