[Q 333] Charging a Fee to Do Someone’s Assignment

Question

If a fellow student asks for the completion of his assignments, can one charge him for instance 10 dhs per assignment?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Doing someone else’s assignments in exchange for a fee is Islamically referred to as ‘Ijarah’ (i.e. buying someone’s service).

For it to be valid, it is necessary that the work done for the assignment is Islamically lawful.

Secondly, it is also necessary to clearly define the scope of the work; specifying what the task is and how much work it entails.

If both these conditions are met, then it is permissible to do someone’s assignment in exchange of a fee, whether it is his classmate or someone else.

Note: Let it be clear that if a person tasks someone to do his assignment and then expresses that he did the work himself, this is lying and deceitful. The person doing this will be sinful.

However, this sin will only be upon the one who deceives. If the person who actually did the assignment did not intend to assist in sin, he will not be sinful.

The Qur’an states:

 “ولا تزر وازرة وزر أخرى”

Translation: And’ that no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another,.

(Surah najm, Ayat Ni 38)

However, it is best that the person tasked to do the work avoids taking on such work, if he knows that it is going to be used to deceive.

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated answer

Date: 24th June 2024