Do the creators of the internet bear the sin of its use for forbidden acts, knowing that they require the subscriber to pledge disavowal of its use in what displeases Allah?
Everything that can be used for both good and evil purposes is permissible to sell to someone who is known or predominantly believed to use it for permissible purposes, and it is forbidden to sell it to someone who is known or predominantly believed to use it for forbidden purposes. The default use of the internet is permissibility, and it is not possible to investigate the religion of all its users. Thus, reliance remains on the predominant likelihood: if the majority of people are religious and pious, it is permissible to provide them with the service; otherwise, it is not. However, if it is known that a specific person will use the internet for forbidden acts, then it is not permissible to provide them with the service. If a person doubts how it will be used and there are no preponderant indications, it is permissible for them to sell it, acting on the original principle of permissibility. It is good to take a pledge from subscribers not to use the internet for forbidden acts.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 651
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy