Is Using Internet Summaries for Assignments Considered Cheating?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question 

In high school, I used internet summaries to get an idea of books instead of reading them. I never plagiarized but used quotes to support my arguments, though I lacked a full understanding of the books. Was this considered cheating?

Answer

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

Using internet summaries instead of reading the actual book is not cheating; however, it could be considered dishonest and a breaking of the rules if the teacher explicitly prohibited the students from doing so or assumed such prohibition.

This type of shortcut approach to studies may seem like a quick fix but is often disadvantageous to the student.

Try to attend your classes with the intention of actually learning and gaining knowledge and not just passing.

Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies in Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen. There he completed the memorization of the Qur’an and his study of the Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz, al-Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, al-Shaykh Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others. Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.