What is the ruling on purchasing a mobile phone at a symbolic price from Western telecommunications companies, such that it only accepts the SIM card of that company, and then unlocking it to use in another country? And what is incumbent upon one who participated in this, if it is impermissible?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If the phone manufacturer stipulates that the phone should not be unlocked, and this condition affects the phone's price by reducing it, then this condition must be fulfilled, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Muslims are bound by their conditions in what is permissible." Whoever participates in unlocking it must repent, and the phone owner must compensate the manufacturer for violating the condition.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/73227
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 73227
- 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