Is it permissible to download free textbooks from the internet when paid versions of them exist, and does the ruling differ based on one's financial ability to purchase them, and what is the ruling on one who publishes these books?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Copyrights, inventions, and innovations are protected by Islamic law, and it is not permissible to infringe upon them. Therefore, it is not permissible to download or publish books except with the permission of their owners. However, some scholars have permitted this for non-commercial personal use, especially for students of knowledge who cannot obtain original copies.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/192438
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 192438
- 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