Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeenwas asked:

Question:

Is it permissible to cheat (in the credentials i.e. Tests) of the english language, which you forbid from learning?

Answer:

First of all, oh my brothers, I haven’t forbidden (learning) the English language. I wish I had knowledge of the English language to call the one who doesn’t speak arabic (to the deen) with this language. I just recently mentioned to you that learning it may be fard kifaayah (community obligation; if some people learn it then the obligation is absolved from the rest of the people), or it may be fard ‘ayn (individual obligation). Rather, I say the evil I warn against is teaching our young children at the age of five or six years old the English language while they don’t know the arabic language. This is what I reject. As for learning english, if there is a benefit in doing so, then this is a benefit. As for cheating in the English language, then it is obligatory upon the teacher to fail the one who does so.

Silsilah Al-Liqaa Al-Shahriyaa >Al-Liqaa Al-Shayriaa [3]

Translated by

Yassin as-Somalee
Abu Aisha