The Ruling on Cheating in Examinations
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Question:
Dear Father: Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah preserve him and grant him piety).
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
You know, may Allah guide you, that at the end of every academic term, a question arises among many students and teachers regarding the phenomenon of cheating in examinations, and its ruling? This leads many of them to discuss the issue, whether with knowledge or without knowledge.
We ask Your Eminence, may Allah keep you safe, to clarify the ruling on cheating in examinations for the students who cheat? And for the teachers who are lenient, or who help or overlook those who do so? What are the consequences, from both the religious and social perspectives, for Muslims? And what is your opinion of those who say: that cheating is forbidden only if it is in the religious subjects and sciences, and it is permissible if it is in others; such as English, history, mathematics, engineering, or the like?
Also, what is the evidence for the hadith:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1315Sahih (Darussalam)? Is it specific to food, or is it general; encompassing everything that has harm for Muslims? Please rule for us, may Allah reward you, so that the difficulty in this important and sensitive topic is resolved. And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Answer:
Cheating in all subjects is forbidden and an abomination; due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 2225Da'if (Darussalam) narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
And this is a general wording; it encompasses cheating in transactions, and in advice and consultation, and in knowledge in all its religious and worldly subjects.
It is not permissible for the student or the teacher to do that, nor to be lenient in it, nor to overlook it; due to the generality of the aforementioned hadith, and what came in its meaning; and due to the harms, damages, and severe consequences that result from cheating. May Allah guide everyone to understanding in the religion and steadfastness upon it. He is the Generous, the Bountiful, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and his Companions.
The General President
To the Departments of Scientific Research, Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Dear Father: Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah preserve him and grant him piety).
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
You know, may Allah guide you, that at the end of every academic term, a question arises among many students and teachers regarding the phenomenon of cheating in examinations, and its ruling? This leads many of them to discuss the issue, whether with knowledge or without knowledge.
We ask Your Eminence, may Allah keep you safe, to clarify the ruling on cheating in examinations for the students who cheat? And for the teachers who are lenient, or who help or overlook those who do so? What are the consequences, from both the religious and social perspectives, for Muslims? And what is your opinion of those who say: that cheating is forbidden only if it is in the religious subjects and sciences, and it is permissible if it is in others; such as English, history, mathematics, engineering, or the like?
Also, what is the evidence for the hadith:
Whoever cheats, he is not one of us.
من غش فليس مناAnswer:
Cheating in all subjects is forbidden and an abomination; due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever cheats us is not one of us.
من غشنا فليس مناAnd this is a general wording; it encompasses cheating in transactions, and in advice and consultation, and in knowledge in all its religious and worldly subjects.
It is not permissible for the student or the teacher to do that, nor to be lenient in it, nor to overlook it; due to the generality of the aforementioned hadith, and what came in its meaning; and due to the harms, damages, and severe consequences that result from cheating. May Allah guide everyone to understanding in the religion and steadfastness upon it. He is the Generous, the Bountiful, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and his Companions.
The General President
To the Departments of Scientific Research, Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.