Is it permissible for me to continue copying and distributing for free a religious program about the Prophet's biography—peace and blessings be upon him—which is broadcast on a satellite channel, knowing that the channel profits from advertisements and is not affected by the distribution, and would my action be considered a theft of the channel's rights?
Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 2026
If the channel does not reserve the copyright of the program, there is no harm in copying and distributing it with the intention of earning reward, while attributing the program to the channel. However, if the channel reserves the copyright, it is not permissible to copy it without their permission, because these rights are legally respected [in Islamic law]. The fact that the channel broadcasts its programs for free does not affect this. It is necessary to ensure that the program is free from errors and religiously prohibited content.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/72091
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 72091
- Imported
- Translation status
- Source text, unreviewed
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