Is My Income From Doing People’s Assignments For Them Haram?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

 

Question

Assalamu ‘alaykum. I used to do assignment/ report writing for students. I found out that it’s wrong to do their work for them as the students are using my work as their own to gain marks and such. My question is, now that I have understood and have stopped doing those, what should I do with the pay? Now is it haram for me to use that money?

Answer

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

Yes, using that money would not be permissible as the act entailed helping others in deception. The best thing to do is to turn to Allah, ask for forgiveness, and repent. You’ll find Allah to be very forgiving and merciful.

Part of the repentance would be to remove that money from your possession. If you still have it, give it to someone who is poor, or to a cause that would be of general benefit to people. If you have spent it you’d need to give the equivalent amount away. That would clear you of the sin and its consequences. (Usmani, Fiqh al Buyu’)

May Allah facilitate a halal income for you, always.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.