Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Aal Al-Sheikh, the Kingdom's Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Board of Senior Ulema and the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Ifta, has declared haram the practice of buying and selling forged educational certificates. He warned people about dealing with foreign universities which offer such certificates. “It is impermissible to deal with these universities, whose education services are based on cheating and deceit.” In a recent telephone interview with Okaz, he said cheating to obtain a certificate is tantamount to false testimony, which is one of the gravest sins in Islam. He said that studying for a degree is the credible way to go about getting proper qualifications and is the true measure of an individual's potential and ability. Grave sin Aal Al-Sheikh described holders of fake certificates as betrayers and losers. “A Muslim should get an authentic and documented certificate based on the true examination of his potential and abilities. He commits a grave sin to buy it from a university to get a high post which he doesn't deserve.” Aal Al-Sheikh said all illicit earnings are haram. He said people should avoid such practices so that they avoid Allah's severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter. He also urged all Muslims to be honest in their words and deeds, quoting from the Holy Qur'an: “O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).” [Surah 9 At-Taubah, verse 119] He urged those who are involved in dealing with fake degrees to repent, obey Allah and to follow the right path. Aal Al-Sheikh emphasized that the Kingdom's universities do not accept or award such certificates. “Thanks to Allah, our universities are very honest in dealing with their students so they only give degrees based on sound scientific bases, unlike some of foreign universities which award fake certificates and degrees in return for a certain amount of money. These [universities] are nothing but cheaters and deceivers.” Members of the Board of Senior Ulema have unanimously ruled that such fake certificates and degrees are forbidden in terms of the Shariah, declaring that it falls under the category of cheating, misrepresentation and betrayal of oneself and the nation. Forgery and cheating Dr. Saleh Bin Fowzan, a member of the Board of Senior Ulema and Permanent Committee for Ifta, said gains generated from fake certificates are haram and anyone who gets a degree without studying is a sinner. “This is nothing but forgery and cheating. Therefore it is strictly forbidden in Islam. Those who sell these kinds of certificates are liars and what they get is haram. Also, the one who takes this kind of certificate is disobedient because he is a cheater and liar.” Sheikh Abdullah Bin Sulaiman, a member of the Board of Senior Ulema and Adviser at the Royal Court, said obtaining such certificates falls under the category of cheating, which the Prophet (peace be upon him) has made clear in the Hadith: “He who cheats us does not belong to us.” This clearly shows that anyone who cheats commits a sin and anyone who helps to cheat also shares the blame. “It is important to stress that just because exams are difficult does not justify cheating. Examinations are meant to show how much one has exerted efforts to prepare for a test. It is illogical, of course, to shower both the hardworking and the lazy with the same reward. To do so will be an injustice. A sound mind never accepts such a matter.” Undeserved honor “Cheating in examinations is one of the things that threaten society because it spreads falsehood and is an attack on the truth. It causes total chaos in society [by ensuring] people have unjustifiable access to posts and undeserved honor.” “A person who gets a job that requires a certain degree or certificate that he has gained through cheating should know that the money he gains is haram. He may be counted among those who are referred to in the verse that reads: “Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done (or brought about), and love to be praised for what they have not done, - think not you that they are rescued from the torment, and for them is a painful torment.” (Surah Al-Imran: Verse 188). However, if this person has performed some kind of work and exerted efforts that are closely related to his qualifications, then he is entitled to the wage given to him in return. What is beyond this is considered to be haram, he said.
