Honesty and Cheating
>> Thursday, May 17, 2012
My parents have always stressed the importance of education and I've always worked very hard to get the best grades possible. There's only one small thing. I somehow fell into the habit of cheating over the years. As I'm now becoming a better Muslim, I feel the need to stop. I need some help in this!
Asalamualaikum wa rahmatullah!
I sincerely do apologize for the late reply. Please forgive me.
Alhamdulillah, I'm glad you've realized that cheating's not the way to go. It could get any one of us in trouble not only in this world, but also in the hereafter. May Allah swt guide us all. Ameen!
Okay, now on to your question, I can tell you what I would do/did in this situation.
First-off, let's take what you said: "I've always worked very hard to get the best grades possible. There's only one small thing. I somehow fell into the habit of cheating over the years." Do you see how that's a bit contradictory? :P We have to always remind ourselves that Allah swt is always watching. I was just telling my brothers the other day when they were taking an online assessment, "I'm not watching you. There's no way I'll know of you use Google to look up answers, your teachers also won't know, but Allah swt WILL know. The One who actually counts will know. Allah is the all seeing and the all hearing. You won't be able to hide from him." And then think about it, do we really want to cheat in front of Allah swt? The One who created us? shaped us? Made us? The One who bestowed so many blessings upon us...how can we not be ashamed to do it in front of Him? I remember from a recent MSA event, the speaker was talking about the topic "double life" and how we need to as Muslims recognize and know Allah swt, how we should learn of his attributes and truly try understanding them do it'll be easier for us to adhere to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad saw.
And then, think about how much better you would feel if the work you did and the grade you got was actually the one you deserved? If you did really well, then you'd feel accomplished, right? And if you don't do so well, it's okay. We all learn from our mistakes. Now you'd know what you'd have to improve on. Do your best, and trust in Allah swt.
"One day Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it and he asked the Bedouin, “Why don’t you tie down your camel?” The Bedouin answered, “I put my trust in Allah.” The Prophet then said, “Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah” (At-Tirmidhi)."
Renew your niyah. Why are you going to school? Every single action we do can ideally become a source of 'ibaadah. What's leading to you to being dishonest in this matter? Ask yourself these questions.
Make du'aa to Allah swt. May He guide us all to the straight path.
There's an ayah in the Quran that says:
Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do. (29:45)That means, the effect of salah stops a Muslim from sin. That is why you have got to focus on improving your prayer. Make two rak'aah nafl and ask Allah swt to make this easy for you.
"... if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed." (I am as my servant thinks of me Hadith, related in Bukhari).SubhanAllah, just ponder over this!
Make use if the tools we're given through the sunnah. Remember the du'aa when studying:
Allahhumma laa sahla illaa ma ja'althu sahla wa anta taj 'allul hazna idhaa shi'ta sahla.
"Oh Allah, you can make the difficult if you wish easy."
And study well! Be prepared! Read our tips on how to correctly study and get the best grades possible.
Finally, if you cheated with your friend's "help", tell your friends that you've given it up. You want to get the best grade possible for both tests (the Hereafter and this test) and to do that, you can't cheat. Tell them that you appreciate they're "not helping" you in this way anymore, but they are welcome to quiz you and really study with you, etc.
Apple Blossoms
2 wonderful sprinkely thoughts:
Lovely answer :)
Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu!
I just recalled this Hadith on honesty from Sahih Muslim:
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a heap of grain and put his hand into it and his fingers came upon some dampness. He said, "Owner of this grain, what is this?" He said, "The rain caught it, Messenger of Allah." He said, "Why did you not put it on top of the heap so that the people could see it! Anyone who cheats us is not one of us."
Like the quote goes:
“It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them.”
May Allah keep you steadfast sister. Aameen :)
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