Cheating in Exams And Its Effect on One's Income

Sheikh ’Uthaymeen was asked the following question during his monthly meetings: Question: I am someone who cheated during exams and passed, repeatedly cheating and passing, until I secured a job at a company and started earning a salary. Is the money I earn considered unlawful (haram)? He replied, may Allāh have mercy on him: If a student passes through cheating, the issue prior to obtaining the degree can be resolved through sincere repentance. For instance, if someone cheated in the first, second, and third years of high school but did not cheat in the final year and passed honestly, we say that it is sufficient for them to repent to Allāh. This is because the job, for example, is based on the degree, and the degree is legitimate. Similarly, if someone cheated in the first three years of college but the exams in the final year were conducted honestly, this is also erased through repentance. There is no issue, insha'Allah, with the salary they earn based on this degree being lawful, as long as the degree itself is legitimate. However, the issue arises if the cheating occurred in the final stage that led directly to obtaining the degree. In this case, the degree is now considered fraudulent, and the job secured based on this degree would be problematic, leaving the income earned under suspicion. That said, I would advise: if the person repents sincerely to Allāh and the subject they cheated in has no relevance to the work they are performing, we hope that their salary would be permissible. For example, if someone cheated in a subject like English, but their job does not require proficiency in English or is unrelated to it, then we hope that their salary, upon repentance, would be lawful." And Allāh knows best. Source: https://shamela.ws/book/7686/86