Is a Degree Obtained Through a False Disability Certificate Valid?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
A friend secured university admission under a disability quota with lower merit, then completed the degree through his own study and effort.
The disability certificate was difficult to obtain, so a reference (connection) was used in the process. He now doubts whether he genuinely meets the required level of disability.
Does any wrongdoing attach to the certificate, and are the degree and future earnings thereby affected?
Answer
Fabricating a status that a person does not possess is impermissible. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever deceives us is not one of us.” [Muslim]
Utilizing a reference to cut through bureaucracy in order to secure something to which a person is entitled is permissible. [Suyuti, Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir]
A degree earned through genuine study and examination is considered valid, regardless of how admission was obtained.
This is akin to performing ritual ablution (wudu) with water that has been usurped. [See Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj]
If a person fishes with a usurped net, the fish belongs to him. The same applies to hunting with a usurped bow and arrow. This is because the catch or prey is directly the result of his own effort. [Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj]
Similarly, the acquisition of the degree is independent of, and extraneous to, the question of eligibility. And Allah knows best.
Consequently, earnings derived from the degree are lawful, just as a prayer performed after ablution with usurped water remains valid, despite the sin involved in the usurpation.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise.” [Bukhari]
Cautious piety demands that we do our utmost to be truthful in all our endeavors. The least level of truthfulness is the congruity between our inward and outward states. With Allah alone is success.
I pray this is of benefit, and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah). He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door for students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life.
In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari’ah Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.
