Discussion on publishing houses.

The questioner : Cooperation with publishing houses. Sometimes I feel wronged. I will tell you what I have suffered and what affliction I have experienced from them.

The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.

The questioner : It is not necessarily the case for everyone, except for whom Allah has mercy. Yes, for example, am I permitted to sell a book that I have authenticated to a regular Muslim publishing house? I do not know if they are, for example, from the people of...

The Shaykh : ...the people of the Sunnah or the people of innovation? The people of righteousness or the people of corruption? You do not know.

The questioner : Am I permitted to sell a book that I have authenticated? He claims that he wants to serve the Muslims. He will print the book, whether I authenticated it or not. You put in the good that you seek, then you sell it to this man and you stipulate that he include the scholarly material. Is that permissible?

The Shaykh : I do not know. Is there a difference between selling it and not selling it, but taking something in return? Is there a difference, as it appears to you?

The questioner : No, they stipulate it upon you.

The Shaykh : I am asking you, not them.

The questioner : I see no difference.

The Shaykh : Okay, I mean from the Sharia perspective. Your question is certainly a Sharia question when you ask, "Is it permissible for me to sell the book that I authenticated, and so on?" There is no difference between selling it and not selling it and taking something of such value whenever he prints it. There is no difference between the two matters. But what I observe in such a case is that if one of us is afflicted with such a sale or partnership or something similar in meaning, his primary intention should be for Allah the Mighty and Sublime, to serve the Sunnah, and to present the Sunnah purified to the Ummah. Then, if something comes after that, I see no difference between this and that, provided the intention is present from the start.

The questioner : But the question is that there are multiple publishing houses. A committed publishing house, like our brother...The Shaykh : ...Sa'd, for example. Our brother's house, for example, Dar al-Ilm, for example, Ibn al-Jawzi Publishing House. These are committed people. And there are other houses, some of the people are not committed.

The Shaykh : Now, the question takes another side, and thus the answer is likewise. I say, if such a variety that you mentioned has become available to you, then it is obligatory for you to choose the pious, righteous publisher. But I think such a question is not applicable in the first place, because you do not need my guidance or to hear my answer to it, because you know it as I know it exactly. But it does not seem to be available to you, and what has reached you in Lebanon, and you live there.

The questioner : They come to me there. I am in Yemen. Multiple publishing houses come to me and ask for the books that I have authenticated.

The Shaykh : These are truly merchants. They do not ask about a beneficial or harmful book. They are merchants, so beware of them. Not from the material aspect, but from the moral aspect that you referred to earlier.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And you as well.
Abu Layla: Our ShaykhThe Shaykh : Salim, from a long time ago. Of course, he has some questions. He is preparing them, of course.

The Shaykh : But I do not know if his guests are more deserving, or he... Where? In a hurry. May Allah help you. What Allah willed.

The questioner : Shaykh... If the publisher is a Shia from the Rafidah.

The Shaykh : I think the answer has already been given.

The questioner : I know the answer...

The Shaykh : Okay, in the safety of Allah.

The questioner : Peace be upon you.