Ruling on go-betweens

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly: if the services of a person who intercedes on your behalf with regard to a job will result in a person who is more deserving of that position because of his qualifications and his ability to do the job in a more precise manner being deprived of it, then that intercession is haraam, because it is injustice against one who is more deserving of it, and it is unfair to the person who is in charge of that work because it is depriving him of the services of one who is more qualified and better able to help them advance in this area of life. This is also an injustice against the ummah because it is depriving it of one who could serve the ummah and direct its affairs in this field in the best possible manner. Moreover it generates resentment and suspicion, and corrupts society. But if this intercession does not result in infringement of anyone’s rights then it is permissible, and indeed it is encouraged by sharee’ah and the one who intercedes will be rewarded, in sha Allaah. It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Intercede, and you will be rewarded, and Allaah decrees what He wills on the lips of His Messenger.” (al-Bukhaari, 1342). 

Secondly: schools, institutes and universities are public resources of the ummah, in which they can learn that which will benefit them in their spiritual and worldly affairs. No one in the ummah is more entitled to it than anyone else except on the basis of some consideration other than intercession on his behalf. If the intercessor knows that his intercession will result in someone who is more entitled because of his qualifications, age or because he submitted his application first, etc, being deprived, then his intercession is not allowed, because it will result in injustice against the one who is deprived or is forced to go to a school that is further away, so it will become difficult for him, because that will generate resentment and will corrupt society. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.