What is the ruling on using non-free software from the Internet for free, then developing and adapting it for personal use, especially when designing an Islamic website, knowing that the ownership of this software belongs to non-Muslim foreign companies?
The scholars have determined that intellectual property is a recognized right for its owners, whether they are Muslims or disbelievers. The Islamic Fiqh Academy has issued a resolution stating that names, addresses, trademarks, authorship, inventions, and innovations are private rights of their owners, holding significant financial value in contemporary custom, and are legally recognized. Therefore, it is impermissible to infringe upon them. Consequently, it is not permissible to download protected software without the permission of its owners, even if it belongs to foreign companies owned by disbelievers, because the property of a non-belligerent disbeliever is inviolable. However, some contemporary scholars have permitted downloading software for personal use, provided it is not for commercial purposes.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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