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Is it permissible to continue using a website that was created with unlicensed software, while committing to using licensed software in the future, or is it obligatory to abandon the website and create another one with licensed software?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible to download or copy non-free software and discs without the permission of their owners, because these are protected rights. Three cases are exempted from this: if they are not available in the market for personal or charitable use, if there is an urgent need for them and an exorbitant price is requested after their owners have made a suitable profit, and if the discs belong to a company from a state hostile to Muslims. In cases other than these, one must seek forgiveness, repent, resolve the issue with the rights holders, or purchase the original copies.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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