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Fatwa CenterReceiving prize as result of lying about one's achievements
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. This is an urgent inquiry, I need the answer within 24 hours as the graduating ceremony is on Thursday! Once, I took part in a science fair, but a fellow student lied about an aspect of one of our projects, saying a thing that we did not do to one of the visitors, he did this to impress the visitor and to get votes. The certificates will be given (we got first place), so are the certificates and the prize money halal? If not, then what should I do with it? I did not cheat on my part and advised that student to be honest and only presented the audience with the information that I was given (since I did not make the models myself; I was told about them by others), but I heard rumours that this information was also not accurate (and might contained lies too). So what should I do, please do not link to fatwas, please give me a direct answer, otherwise I will have to destroy the certificate, as I think that it is haram .
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
If the false information provided by your friend has no effect on earning the certificate and prize because your work and achievements entitled you to receive such certificate and prize and you have not received them merely because of the student's lies, then you bear no sin for that.
However, if you did receive the certificate and prize as a result of such lies and deceit, then it is impermissible for you to avail yourselves of any of that and you should return the prize money and get rid of the certificate. If you cannot return the prize money, then you can dispose of it by offering it to the poor and needy as charity on behalf of the entity that gave you the prize.
Allaah knows best.
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