What is the ruling on money earned from trading images obtained from the internet, whether signed or unsigned, given prior ignorance of its prohibition, and is it permissible to use free fonts downloaded from the internet for commercial purposes if the original terms of use are unknown?
Intellectual property rights are legally protected, and it is impermissible to infringe upon them. Therefore, it is not permissible to use copyrighted materials without the owner's permission. If permission is restricted, then those restrictions must be adhered to. As for profits earned from using unauthorized materials, they are permissible for the earner, provided that one seeks absolution from the rights holders by requesting forgiveness or compensation. The assessment of damages is to be referred to experts. Distinguishing copyrighted materials is done through custom and circumstantial evidence. The default ruling is permissibility in cases of doubt, and doubt in the lines does not necessitate anything, as the default is innocence of liability.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 151936
- 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