What is the ruling on using pirated software, such as Windows and Office, in an internet cafe, and what is the ruling on the money earned from this business?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Using pirated software is an infringement on the rights of its owners. These are private rights of theirs, and they hold significant financial value in Islamic law. Therefore, it is not permissible to infringe upon them through piracy, usage, or sale without the owners' permission. The high price of the software does not justify pirating it. Repentance is obligatory, and rights must be returned to their owners. As for the money you earned as a result of using those programs, there is no harm in benefiting from it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/154567
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 154567
- 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