Is there any Haram in Freelancing?

Bismillah hir Rahman Nir Raheem

My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] And ease for me my task And untie the knot from my tongue That they may understand my speech. Ameen

These days everyone is looking to work online from the comfort of their home. Many youth in fear of working 9 to 5 jobs jumps into the business of freelancing although that's not a bad idea but earning money is not everything. Earning money the right way is what you must be looking for.

In this post I will talk about some practices through which people make easy money on freelancing websites which are WRONG both ethically and Islamicaly.

1) Academic Work. 

                               One would say Academic work why?? First of all let's clarify what type of academic work I am talking about. Thesis writing, Assignment writing completion of FYP (Final year projects) etc.

Why is it wrong? First thing first for example I am a Computer Science student. My teacher has given me a programming assignment which will be graded and it will affect my CGPA. I didn't took those lectures or even if I did. I have no interest in doing it. My father Ma Shaa Allah is a big Shiekh lots of factories and land in his home town I have money. I go online and hire someone to do the assignment or maybe not online I might find someone in my University a senior and pay him some money. I get a good grade maybe better than the hardworking student who did it by himself or maybe better than the student who is an average student but tried his level best to learn and he did the assignment himself. Now when I will graduate from the University or high school whatever. I might get a job based on this degree ( you probably got the idea of how I completed this degree) or you know my big Shiekh Dad might influence and through his references I might get a job in some government institution.

Now my question to you guys is use your conscious a bit. Is this justified? Should this guy who didn't earn the grade himself be allowed to get good jobs or government jobs. Is this not the right of other students?

If he gets the government job with his type of mentality. what will become of that institution?  or suppose through his father's influence he lands a job at some very important company who makes softwares for aircrafts or for medical purposes. If such a guy starts making such softwares it would costs lives.

All this happened why because you accepted that academic job. One might say that if I decline this job someone else might take it and earn the easy money. That's true BUT you might be saved from earning a money which in my definition is HARAM which might cause many harms to the society and you would be blamed for it. 

Think of the earnings you make its long term consequences on the society and on your self.

Prophet SAW said 

...He who deceives is not of me (is not my follower).

Sahih Muslim 102.

and 

Shiekh ibn Uthaymeen ( may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Cheating in exams is forbidden; in fact it is a major sin, especially since cheating will lead to a number of things in future, it will affect the person's salary and position, and other things that are needed in order to succeed.

Fataawa Noor ala ad Dark, 24/2

*Most importantly many freelancing sites don't allow this and we still do it using their platform by cheating them too.  

2) Data Entry Fraud

                As the name suggests it literally is fraud. Some of you might not be doing it. This usually happens on freelancing sites some people posts some jobs mostly related to data entry (In this the one posting the job Ad is the one doing wrong). You bid on the project and in turn gets an email telling you to send this amount of money so that we may give you some tasks. They say that the money will be refunded after your first tasks. When you pay the money, now here comes the tricky part sometimes if they are new to this line of work they might give you some tasks in order to lure some more people to these jobs and getting money from them. In the end they don't reply back and your money is gone and *Poof*

3) FB Fraud

                Another fraud this usually happens outside the framework of the freelancing websites usually on Facebook or other social media websites. Some guy promises you to do some work for you and in turn takes your money and doesn't answer back. It also happens the other way around one guy submits his work via Email of FB and then the other person ditches him and doesn't pay for his work.

4) Getting Fake Reviews

              Another act which is not considered wrong is getting fake reviews on your profiles. If I have a profile and I am not getting any projects what I will do is ask one of my friends or a stranger to post an order on my profile and then rate my profile 5 or 4 stars in return I will pay you this much money. 

This is also wrong it is also cheating and fraud.

Why are we being so careful about it? Money is money. Thats what our youth thinks but they don't know it leads to many other problems. Money earned through unlawful means, you will be questioned and punished on the Day of Judgement. This haram money through which you will fill your stomach not only your's but your families stomach too. Your future generation what will happen to them.

Prophet SAW 

... mentioned a man who travels a great deal and becomes disheveled and covered with dust, who raises his hands to the heavens (and says), ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ when his food is haraam, his drink is haraam, his clothes are haraam and he has been nourished with haraam, so how can he receive a response?

Sahih Muslim 1015

BEWARE OF WHAT YOU FEED YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN.

If you have any questions. do ask and share with friends.

O Allah! Enable us to see the Truth as Truth and give us the ability to follow it. And show us the falsehood as false and give us the ability to refrain from it. Ameen