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He helped his friend to falsify his diploma to become an engineer

Question

Assalamua’laikum. I have a Muslim friend he graduated as technician, I help him to falsify his diploma to become an Engineer; I knew what I did helping him for the falsification was an act of cheating. I repent for what I did and ask Allah (SWT) forgiveness. Recently he applied a job as an engineer using his false diploma and false working experience and he was accepted. Now he starts working but he ask me to teach him about his job because he don’t know the engineering work assign to him. I am a certified engineer with long work experience. My question is; should I teach him? This friend of mine has a big family with many children; small salary is not enough for the expenses of his family. This is the reason why he did this falsification so than he can get higher salary in order to cope up the expenses of his family. Jajakallahukhyran..

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

What you did by helping your friend to forge the certificate is forbidden because it is helping in disobedience and sin. Allaah Says (what means): {Help you one another in virtue, righteousness and piety but do not help one another in sin and transgression.} [Quran 5:2]. We have already issued Fataawa 96435 and 89544 clarifying the prohibition of forging certificates for work or for anything else.

In addition to this, because he does not master the work that is entrusted to him, this worsens the situation. So, this is darkness upon darkness because if he works in what he does not master he will be cheating his employers.

Hence, this person must fear Allaah and leave this job and look for another job according to his original specialty.

Moreover, he should give up presenting forged certificates and you must stop helping him in what is not permissible. Furthermore, you do not have to teach him.

In case he does not stop deceiving his employer after you have advised him and clarified to him the prohibition of his job, then you may threaten to disclose the truth about him to his employer. If again he is not deterred, then you should disclose the truth to his employer if this does not lead to a greater harm.

Finally, what you mentioned about him does not allow him to be unjust to people and to take their money unlawfully. Rather, he should look for a job which he masters to provide for himself and his family. Indeed, whoever abandons something for the Sake of Allaah, Allaah will replace him with something better. Allaah Says (what means): {… And whoever fears Allaah—He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect.} [Quran 65:2-3]

Allaah Knows best.

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