I am the older brother of males and females of adolescent age, so I use the telephone recording device to prevent harm, as harm has been prevented through it.

The questioner : He says: O honorable Shaykh, I am the older brother of males and females of adolescent age, so I use the telephone recording device to prevent harm, as harm has been prevented through it. What is your opinion, O honorable Shaykh, about this action, knowing that they are not aware of it?

The Shaykh : My opinion on this is that it is spying, it is spying, and it is not permissible for anyone to spy on anyone, because we have no concern with anything but the apparent. If we were to go around spying on people, we would be greatly exhausted, meaning we would be exhausted in the path of spying and our consciences would be exhausted by what we hear or see. And if Allah the Exalted says: after He said: but if the guardian of the house sees clear signs indicating these wicked communications, there is no harm in placing a recorder where they do not know. However, if he knows from the beginning, he must not continue, but rather rebuke them immediately, because if he continues, he may hear something more severe than what he disliked at first. For example, if he learns of a bad call tonight, he should speak to the girl and the one who called his companion from the start of the morning and rebuke him. He should not say: "Leave it until the second night, the third night, the fourth night, let's see what they have." This is wrong. It is obligatory to cut off the path from the beginning. If he does this, there is no harm. But mere accusations or mere suspicions are not permissible. However, if he knows that the matter is serious and that this is happening, meaning if he is strongly convinced, there is no harm in placing this recorder in order to verify the matter. Yes.