What is the ruling on buying a device for permissible use, with the buyer knowing or having a strong presumption that others will use it for impermissible purposes?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The basic principle regarding the sale and purchase of devices used for both permissible and impermissible purposes is permissibility. However, if the seller knows that the buyer will use the device for an impermissible purpose, it is not permissible for him to sell it to him, because that constitutes aiding in a forbidden sin, based on the Almighty’s saying: "And do not cooperate in sin and aggression." It is also forbidden to sell weapons to one who will fight with them in an unlawful fight. If you cannot prevent its use for unlawful purposes, then it is not permissible for you to buy 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/164756
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 164756
- 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