What is the ruling on cheating in exams and the like?
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Question:
As you clarified, Your Eminence, regarding betrayal—and cheating in exams is one of its forms—I ask you to clarify the legal ruling on this matter and cite the evidence.
Answer:
Cheating in exams undoubtedly falls under the general ruling. The evidence is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 2225Da'if (Darussalam), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 2225Da'if (Darussalam).
If cheating in buying and selling is forbidden, then it is likewise forbidden in knowledge; because hopes are placed upon the student of knowledge, and rulings are placed upon him. If he cheats in his exams and tests, he may be attributed to knowledge and counted among the scholars, when he is not so. Rather, the certificates he obtained were obtained through betrayal, through lying, and through forgery. Thus, he harms himself and harms people. The hadith is general:Sunan Ibn Majah 2225Da'if (Darussalam).
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a heap of food, he put his hand into it, and his fingers came out wet. He said:Bulugh al-Maram 7:45 The man said: It was hit by the sky, O Messenger of Allah, meaning: the rain. He said: Mishkat al-Masabih 2860.
As you clarified, Your Eminence, regarding betrayal—and cheating in exams is one of its forms—I ask you to clarify the legal ruling on this matter and cite the evidence.
Answer:
Cheating in exams undoubtedly falls under the general ruling. The evidence is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever cheats us is not one of us.
مَن غشَّنا فليس مناWhoever cheats us is not one of us.
مَن غشَّنا فليس مناIf cheating in buying and selling is forbidden, then it is likewise forbidden in knowledge; because hopes are placed upon the student of knowledge, and rulings are placed upon him. If he cheats in his exams and tests, he may be attributed to knowledge and counted among the scholars, when he is not so. Rather, the certificates he obtained were obtained through betrayal, through lying, and through forgery. Thus, he harms himself and harms people. The hadith is general:
Whoever cheats us is not one of us.
مَن غشَّنا فليس مناWhen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a heap of food, he put his hand into it, and his fingers came out wet. He said:
What is this, O owner of the grain?
ما هذا يا صاحب الطعام؟Why did you not put the damp part on the top of the grain so that people might see it? He who deceives has nothing to do with me.
أفلا جعلتَه فوق الطعام كي يراه الناسُ، مَن غشَّ فليس منا
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.