Is it permissible to intercede for his classmate who cheated in the exam and was banned from that course?
Question

                We have a classmate in our year who is not Muslim, and he cheated on one of the exams, and the teacher punished him by banning him from that subject. Is it permissible for us to help him by asking the teacher to be lenient with him?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    Cheating in exams is haraam, like any other kind of 
    cheating. 

    The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: What is 
    the ruling on students cheating in tests at school? 

    They replied: The hadeeth “The one who cheats us is not one 
    of us” is saheeh, and it is general in meaning; it includes cheating in 
    buying and selling, in giving advice, in contracts and covenants, in matters 
    of trust, and in exams in schools and colleges and the like, whether that 
    involves plagiarism, copying from another student, whispering answers to 
    them or writing answers and passing them to them. End quote from Fataawa 
    al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (12/200). 

    Secondly: 

    It is prescribed to punish and discipline the one who cheats 
    as the university sees fit, such as banning him from completing the exam or 
    banning him from that subject, so as to close the door to this haraam action 
    which leads to weakness, backwardness, promotion of those who do not deserve 
    to be promoted and appointment of people to positions for which they are not 
    qualified. The least that the student who cheats in his tests deserves is to 
    be be failed and banned from the subject in which he cheated. How can he be 
    given a grade that he does not deserve, and how can he advance ahead of 
    other students, when he deserves to fail? 

    Based on this, you should not intercede with the teacher for 
    this student. Perhaps he will benefit from this punishment and will not do 
    such a thing again, and perhaps others will benefit too. But if this student 
    did not cheat at all, rather he merely tried to cheat, and that is not his 
    usual habit, and he has shown signs of regret and has resolved not to do 
    such a thing again in the future, then there is nothing wrong with you 
    interceding with the teacher so that the punishment may be waived. 

    Thirdly: 

    The fact that this student is not a Muslim does not mean that 
    you cannot intercede for him in principle. It is proven that Umm Haani’ bint 
    Abi Taalib put a kaafir man under her protection on the day of the Conquest 
    of Makkah, so that he would not be killed, and the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to her: “We grant protection to the 
    one to whom you granted protection, O Umm Haani’.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari 
    (3171) and Muslim (336). 

    This was intercession on her part for that kaafir man, so 
    that he would not be killed, and the Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) approved of it. Similarly, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan granted 
    protection to a man who had apostatized, then he came repenting and turning 
    back to Islam, and the Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) granted him protection. Narrated by Abu Dawood (4385), classed as 
    saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

    This is something that demonstrates the tolerance of Islam, 
    and the keenness of its followers to seek what is good and beneficial for 
    all people, which will motivate them to think about this true religion and 
    encourage them to enter it. This is the goal that leads the Muslim to treat 
    kaafirs well and uphold ties with them, so that Allaah might open their 
    hearts to Islam and save them from the darkness of kufr and shirk. 

    It is clear that this kindness does not mean that one loves 
    them and takes them as close friends, because that is not permissible in the 
    case of a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians 
    as Awliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa’ of each 
    other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa’), then surely, he is 
    one of them. Verily, Allaah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon 
    (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)”

    [al-Maa’idah 5:51] 

    “You (O Muhammad) will not find any people who believe in 
    Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and 
    His Messenger (Muhammad), even though they were their fathers or their sons 
    or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written Faith 
    in their hearts, and strengthened them with Rooh (proofs, light and true 
    guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under 
    which rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allaah is pleased with them, 
    and they with Him. They are the party of Allaah. Verily, it is the party of 
    Allaah that will be the successful”

    [al-Mujaadilah 58:22]

    And Allaah knows best.