The Ruling on Selling Films and Video Devices

This is a letter submitted by the brother (S. M. T.) from Riyadh. He says in his letter: I am a young man and I own a video device. You know that this device brings nothing but evil—may Allah protect us from it—due to the obscene and indecent films shown on it. Knowing this, I have decided to sell it, seeking help from Allah. Is its price permissible, or should I give it as a gift to a non-Muslim, such as a Christian or a Buddhist, or should I burn it, or destroy it? What should I do?
Answer: There is no doubt that video carries a great danger to Muslims because of the wicked films contained in it. If the films are bad, as the questioner indicated, then it is obligatory to burn them, or to do what removes what is recorded on them by recording good things on them; because it has reached me that if something is recorded on them, it erases what came before, and the tape is returned to its owner to benefit from it. If it is possible to remove the evil in them by dictating something good and recording something good, then praise be to Allah. Otherwise, it is obligatory to burn them. It is not permissible for you to sell them, and it is not permissible for you to give them as a gift; because this falls under the category of cooperating in sin and transgression.
The presenter: Is this regarding the films?
The Shaykh: Regarding the films, yes.
The presenter: What about the device?
The Shaykh: As for the device itself, it is sold; because it contains both evil and good, like the radio and its like. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.