What is the position of the Sharia on the phenomenon of cheating that is widespread in societies?

Allah, the Almighty, condemned deception and its perpetrators, threatening them with woe in the Holy Quran. The Prophet Shu'ayb (peace be upon him) warned against it, as did the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who emphasized, "Whoever cheats us is not of us." Deception is mixing the bad with the good, or concealing a defect in an item.

The manifestations of deception are numerous across various aspects of life: 1. In buying and selling: Concealing defects in goods, manipulating quantity, weight, or origin, selling used items as new, tampering with car odometers, hiding car defects, najash (falsely inflating prices to entice buyers), bloating carcasses, feeding sheep salt, and tying up the udders of livestock. 2. In marriage: Presenting a girl other than the one described to the suitor, concealing illnesses or defects, adorning the betrothed with cosmetics, not verifying the suitor's religiosity and character, the suitor feigning wealth, spreading false praise for the suitor, and altering a woman's appearance (such as by filing teeth to create gaps) to seem younger. 3. In advice: Not being sincere in it, and pursuing worldly gains instead of giving sincere advice that benefits Muslims. 4. In leadership (or shepherding): A leader deceiving his flock by having Paradise forbidden to him. This includes an employee who does not perform his job with sincerity, and a father who neglects the upbringing of his children. 5. In examinations: Cheating in all its forms is considered forbidden deception, and its cause is weak religious deterrent.

Deception has severe harms: it is a path to Hellfire, evidence of baseness of character, causes estrangement from Allah and people, prevents prayers from being answered and blessings from wealth and life, diminishes faith, and leads to the dominance of oppressors and disbelievers.