What is a historical overview of intellectual property rights in Islam?
"Whoever precedes to something has a greater right to it, and he has the right to benefit from it lawfully. This right is established for him and his heirs, whether it is a material or an intellectual right, such as invention and authorship. The proof for this is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: 'Whoever precedes to something that no Muslim has preceded him to, then it is his.' The Islamic Fiqh Academy has affirmed that intellectual rights, such as authorship, invention, names, and trademarks, are private rights belonging to their owners and have a recognized financial value in contemporary custom. They are legally valid, and it is not permissible to infringe upon them or dispose of them except for financial compensation, provided that there is no harm, deception, or fraud."
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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