What should I do with the photocopied books I obtained from the university at a symbolic price, unaware that they were unlicensed; am I permitted to use them, or must I dispose of them?
It is permissible to benefit from university books purchased at a low price, even if their original ownership belongs to the university and there is permission to copy them. However, if you are certain that the university did not purchase the right to copy and was not given permission to do so, then the sin falls upon the one who copied them. The matter is lighter here because it is for personal use and not for sale, and it falls under what some scholars have permitted.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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