What is the ruling on secretly taking pictures, especially of women, and then circulating them on mobile phones or the internet without their knowledge?

The act of photographing and publishing private parts (awrat) is forbidden by Islamic law, as it encompasses numerous prohibitions, including: transgressing the bounds of Allah, exposing private parts, violating the sanctity of a Muslim, betraying trust, harming believing women, resembling hypocrites, contravening the Shari'ah which mandates seeking permission before entering homes, corrupting society and spreading indecency. Furthermore, retaining such images is persistence in sin, and publishing them is openly committing a sin.