What is the ruling on using pirated software and seeking assistance from other websites in writing articles, and is it obligatory to completely rephrase the paragraphs? And is it permissible to gradually purchase pirated software with money earned from the website while preserving the capital, or must it be purchased all at once?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is permissible to copy articles from websites that do not prohibit copying without seeking permission. However, for websites that do prohibit it, copying is not allowed except with the permission of their owners. It is also not permissible to copy content by merely rephrasing it without the owners' permission. Nevertheless, it is permissible to quote from them, provided the sources are cited. As for using pirated software, it is not permissible because intellectual property rights are protected by Islamic law, and therefore, it is not allowed to infringe upon them unless the rights holder grants permission.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/192482
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 192482
- 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