Working in a company whose computers are run by pirated programs

23-6-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

i am working in a company as a computer engineer. the computers of the company is ran by pirated software. my brothers and friends also use pirated software. can i use these computer?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible to download or use the protected programs without the permission of its owners especially if its use is for commercial purposes and for gaining material benefit because these rights are reserved for its owners and they are considerable in Sharee’ah and have a material value according to customs. So, transgressing them and copying these programs or downloading them without right is considered as consuming their owners' money without right.

Indeed, we have clarified in Fatwa 132937 that in principle it is not permissible to use copied programs if they are copyrighted and that there are some scholars who permitted that for exclusive personal use without gaining income from it.

Therefore, it is not permissible for you to use copied programs in the computers of your company or your relatives as long as you know that they obtained them in an illegal way, but if you do not know that, it is permissible for you to use them.

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net