What is the ruling on working for companies that use cracked software—for which the price has not been paid—due to their high cost, and does this ruling include all jobs or is it limited to those who use this software, and is it obligatory to inquire about the type of software used before applying for a job?

The preponderant view is that intellectual property rights and similar intangible rights are protected and owned by their holders, and it is not permissible to infringe upon them. Based on this, it is not permissible to use non-original software, nor to work with it. However, working in a company in positions that do not involve the use of such software is permissible. If the use of non-original software becomes widespread and common, then piety dictates asking (for clarification), and asking may become obligatory if the prevalent practice is the use of non-original software. This is based on the statement of Ibn al-Jawzi: "If the majority is unlawful, then one must ask. If it is not the majority, then piety dictates investigating, but it is not obligatory."