Can I Use Study Materials If I Suspect They Were Obtained Fraudulently?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I’m preparing for an exam and found a resource I paid for that I suspect was obtained fraudulently.
I don’t have proof, but a friend made a similar observation. Is it wrong to use such material if it helps me?
Does suspecting a source’s fraudulence make benefiting from it unethical?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
If you have strong suspicions, your conscience is already uneasy, and you are inclined to believe it’s likely fraudulent, then you should stop using it immediately.
Leave What Makes You Doubt
Hasan ibn Ali (Allah be pleased with him) reported the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt. Verily, truth brings peace of mind and falsehood sows doubt.” [Tirmidhi]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related Answers
- Key Principles Relating to Certainty, Doubt, and Baseless …
Explains foundational Islamic legal principles regarding certainty, doubt, and ignoring baseless misgivings (waswasa). - Can I Use Something If I Suspect It Was Acquired Unlawfully?
Explains the rulings of acting on suspicion versus certainty in matters of ownership and doubtful property.
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org), such as those offered in the Islamic Studies Curriculum (seekersguidance.org), and build your way up, completing each course as you progress?
I pray this helps answer your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
