Copying computer programs onto customers' devices
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, a person who owns a shop selling computers and their accessories,
The Shaykh:
A person.
The questioner:
a person who owns a shop selling computers and their accessories. This person has the original copies of the computer programs. His question is: Is it permissible for him to install these programs on customers' devices in exchange for a sum of money?
The Shaykh:
If the owners prevent this except with their permission, then it is not permissible. It is not permissible to encroach upon people's rights. For example, if a book states that the copyright is reserved, no one is permitted to print it except with the permission of the rights holder. These are people's rights, and it is not permissible to encroach upon them. Programs fall under this category. If their owners have stated that no one is permitted to distribute, use, or sell them except with their permission, then their permission is required, because this is their property and their right. Yes.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, a person who owns a shop selling computers and their accessories,
The Shaykh:
A person.
The questioner:
a person who owns a shop selling computers and their accessories. This person has the original copies of the computer programs. His question is: Is it permissible for him to install these programs on customers' devices in exchange for a sum of money?
The Shaykh:
If the owners prevent this except with their permission, then it is not permissible. It is not permissible to encroach upon people's rights. For example, if a book states that the copyright is reserved, no one is permitted to print it except with the permission of the rights holder. These are people's rights, and it is not permissible to encroach upon them. Programs fall under this category. If their owners have stated that no one is permitted to distribute, use, or sell them except with their permission, then their permission is required, because this is their property and their right. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 141/132 شرح زاد المستقنع/ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com (1:20:25)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.