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Fatwa CenterSchool Gives Prizes to Excellent Students
Question
What is the ruling on giving prizes to students that took 1st, 2nd and 3rd position in a school but this school is mostly about worldly knowledge. Secondly if it is not permissible, how do I repent because I address the school staff and students during the prize giving event and said "it is a better thing to do". that is to give prices. But I read fatwa that it is not allowed to that unless it is based on certain things in relation to jihad. Must I declare the truth to the staff and students before Allah accept my repentance. And please explain where the verse in al-baqarah is applicable (Al-Baqarah 159 -160)
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Just honoring the students who excelled with prizes and gifts -without any conditions [from them -i.e. the students] or prior knowledge -then there is nothing wrong with it. However, it seems that the problem on which you based your question is the issue of prizes given to the winners among the students based on a contest among them.
There is also no problem in this, according to some scholars, as long as the prizes are not from the contestants themselves but from other parties -which is the school administration.
Therefore, you should not object to the school's management for honoring the winners with prizes -even if this honoring is done after a competition.
As for the concealment of knowledge for which a person is sinful, then it is the Islamic knowledge that people must know about religion, and there is nobody else to teach them this knowledge, it is in this case only that a person is sinful.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 88053 and 339982.
Allah knows best.
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