The Phenomenon of Preparing Scientific Researches for Others: Terms and Conditions

Abstract

This research is a legal study of a phenomenon that has recently spread in the academic community, namely: trading in writing scientific researches of all kinds, on behalf of those who are on charge of it, and preparing it for them, whether it is a graduation research, master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, or research papers. The study consists of three sections: the first section deals with what is permissible to do in order to help researchers in their researches, the second section deals with what is not permissible, and the third section deals with what is permissible, in accordance with the rules and conditions. The methodology used in this study is the descriptive analytical method. The research is aimed to investigate the terms and conditions about what is permissible and non-permissible to do in Islamic jurisprudence in order to help those who are on charge of preparing their researches, whether with or without fees, and to come up with a legal rule for the subject of preparing researches for others. This research is of great significance as it sheds light on a new issue that needs to be clarified, and needs also to be legitimately controlled. The research arrives at several findings: it is permissible to assist those who are on charge of writing researches in preparing the formal, technical, and complementary effort, since this is not the intended essence of the research; it is forbidden to assist them in preparing the intentional effort, with exception of a minor help which aims to train and it should not break the purpose of doing the research; and the academic convention is authorized to control this issue and its rules must be acted upon in what is permissible and forbidden.