Fatwa ..Permissible commodities that can be used for either permissible or impermissible purposes

Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa answers readers' questions in various fatwas. We at See publish these fatwas. The question says: What is the ruling for providing a village with an internet network? Will I bear the sin of those who use this service to listen to unlawful content?

Answer

Internet and other equipment are tools that aid viewers to follow current events, news of near and distant countries, and access websites that may broadcast both poor and good content.

The viewer is the one who decides what to watch on these websites and he monitors his own actions when it comes to choosing between good and evil. It is established in Islamic law that anything is permissible provided it is not explicitly declared

prohibited.

The ruling

It is permissible to trade in anything that can be put to lawful and unlawful uses. The responsibility of its usage falls upon the user — if he uses it in permissible ways, it is permissible; otherwise, it is not. The manufacturer and seller do not share the responsibility of its unlawful usage.

And God Almighty knows best.