cheating

Degrees and Promotions Gained by Cheating

 Respected scholars, as-salamu`alaykum.I am an assistant professor at a university. My problem is that, during my long endeavor to reach this position, I have committed many violations in the field of scientific research in order to get my Masters and doctoral degrees and in order to get promoted.For example, I used to collect parts of different studies published on the Internet or found in international journals, adding some points and removing others so that it won't be exactly the same, and claiming that I copied this published research in this and that, but I differed with them in such-and-such, even though I didn't perform the practical part of these studies.I should clarify that, by Allah's will, I hope that none of these fabricated researches or papers will hurt anyone, since they do not contain any information that would expose sick people to harm. These research papers have been published in extremely local journals and most people know that what is published in them is untrustworthy. Many of the readers these studies know that some research papers for the Masters and doctoral degrees are fabricated. These research papers have no relation to the clinical ability of a doctor in terms of his treatment of the sick.My question is: I am terrified of my Lord. Is all of my money haram, including the money I earned from my work in the Gulf countries. Of course, my salary was large because I hold both a Masters degree and a doctorate (based on fabricated researches). Would my money be haram even if I exerted every effort to help the sick and followed my conscience concerning them?Will all of my prayers, salah and du`a' not be accepted? Is my Hajj invalid and do I have to repeat it with my husband's money, for example?What should I do? Shall I not be able to work again since any job I apply for abroad and even being promoted to full professor at the university depend upon my previous history of lying and false claims, whether regarding the scientific researches or regarding the conferences which I claimed to have attended but I really did not, which led to my previous promotions?According to the situation I have explained, how can I repent? Would it be by quitting my work at all, because it is based on falsehood or by continuing at my job, but without repeating the sins? Would my money be halal because of my regret, asking for forgiveness, and not committing those sins again?Jazakum Allahu Khayran.