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Fatwa CenterSubmitted a forged certificate to enter university
Question
A friend of mine has completed her education in one of the countries .In their school system they have 11 years of schooling then 1year military then they complete12and 13 year schooling, instead she didnt complete12 and 13 becaucause her parents didnt allow her(u know). In order to complete her studies she entered with a certificate she wasnt educated with .and she is contnuing now.Herquestion is this(haram) because this is her 3rd since she etered her university.She is learning abroad.thanx
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. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
In principle forgery is forbidden, because this is considered as giving false testimony and the Prophet 
warned us from doing so. He said: "Shall I not inform you about the greatest of the major sins? They said: "Please do, O Prophet of Allaah []! He said: "To associate partners with Allaah, and to be undutiful to one’s parents." He was lying down and then he sat up [to show the importance of what he was going to say next], and said: "And false testimony…" The Prophet kept repeating it [false testimony] until we wished that he would stop (because they didn't like to see him angry)." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. So there is no exception to the above principle unless there is a dire necessity. There is no doubt that a woman joining the military service causes many religious harms which one cannot avoid. So if being exempted from this military service could not be achieved except by forgery, then it appears here that it is permissible due to the necessity of preserving one's religion. Allaah Says (what means): {…while He has explained in detail to you what He has forbidden you, excepting that to which you are compelled.}[Quran 6:119].
However, if it is possible to get rid of these harms or to obtain an exemption from the army with permissible means without resorting to forgery, then she is obliged to take these permissible means and she should not resort to forgery except in case of a dire necessity, and it should be only limited to her need. Allaah Says (what means): {But if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience or transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him.}[Quran 2:173].
Furthermore, if her attempt to pursue her studies is without her parents consent, then we advise her to stop studying so that she will not be disobedient to her parents, as it is an obligation to obey the parents in what is permissible. Allaah Says (what means): {And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment.}[Quran 17:23]. Thus, she should stop studying especially if there are other disadvantages in studying abroad, like travelling without a Mahram and forbidden mixing, and the like. In such a case she is obliged to stop studying in order to protect her religion from all these disadvantages.
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