Hi
this is a question I always had in my mind :
I wonder what is Islam and Muslims attitudes about pirating,hacking & stealing copyrighted programs?
I mean is this legal in Islam?and why?

[michaldu]

I guess it's forbidden in every religion, as a 'You shall not steal' law or something like that...
But... 'God made me an Atheist, who are you to question his wisdom?'

I guess it's forbidden in every religion, as a 'You shall not steal' law or something like that...
But... 'God made me an Atheist, who are you to question his wisdom?'

first of all please vote
second , God made all human free to decide what religion to choose ......

[kareem]

I spent a while sometimes back searching for an answer but never really came up with one. It's become so ubuqtious now that people don't even think about it being wrong, they just do it (especially with P2P sharing). When you go to Islamic dominant countries, you'll see thousands upon thousands of stores simply selling movies, songs, programs, games, etc. on a CD for half a dollar. They're distibuting these copies to all the buyers; I can rest assure you that they're not selling legit copies. Others may want to twist the words as it's "sharing," not stealing. Anyhow, you'd probably get a lot more exposure and ideas on the topic if you posted on the WhyIslam forums or similar ones. I'm neutral on the topic.

I spent a while sometimes back searching for an answer but never really came up with one. It's become so ubuqtious now that people don't even think about it being wrong, they just do it (especially with P2P sharing). When you go to Islamic dominant countries, you'll see thousands upon thousands of stores simply selling movies, songs, ....

Yess, you are right.. but it’s just human nature, I mean if there’s a country titled Islamic, it doesn’t mean that u can find pure rules there..

u’d better to search for answers to main questions, islaam n all the other religions, define certain boundary between goodness and wickedness. Stealing or violating any rights is always against principles.

[kareem]

I spent a while sometimes back searching for an answer but never really came up with one. It's become so ubuqtious now that people don't even think about it being wrong, they just do it (especially with P2P sharing). When you go to Islamic dominant countries, you'll see thousands upon thousands of stores simply selling movies, songs, ....

Yess, you are right.. but it’s just human nature, I mean if there’s a country titled Islamic, it doesn’t mean that u can find pure rules there..

u’d better to search for answers to main questions, islaam n all the other religions, define certain boundary between goodness and wickedness. Stealing or violating any rights is always against principles.

Definitely. I was answering with respects to his question in regards to it being forbidden in Islam. Plus, the only "Muslim Governed" country is Saudi Arabia; haven't been there but wouldn't be surprised if they deemed this to be lawful. You can't find pure rules in any country.

[lifehacker]

Piracy of software is stealing. Plain and simple. Whether this form of stealing is ethically wrong or not is another question but it is certainly theft.

[Ameer]

This question is one which will have many different answers from many people regardless of their religion. I, myself, am a muslim. Not a strict one though. If you are asking 'Are muslims allowed to hack copyrighted programs for the benefit of theirs and not the rightful owners of the programs?' then the answer would be no to every human on this earth. As Kareem was saying, many people download games and movies and such, put them on a CD, and sell them for a fraction of the original copyrighted price. Here in Egypt, there are many stores who offer to 'hack' your PlayStation 2 in way so that it could play non-original games for about £30( £3 GBP) then sell you games for about £10-15 (£1 GBP). This is highly popular as the customer would be pleased to receive a game of excellent quality for that low of a price. However, if you do that in countries such as the U.S, you would be sued for millions upon millions of dollars.

So to answer your question, no. Not just for muslims either.

it may look nice at the first glance to have latest soft at the price of "nothing" but if you extend your view you will see it is really terrible.Because of not executing copyright by government in Iran and other similar countries no programer want to make something for people of his/her country,that is why there are no good programs in Farsi and Arabic.this will also effect universities research,no one like to publish his/her own work and invention while others steal it immediately,that is why floods of genius student go to foreign countries and never see their back later.

And about "if others do something then why I don't do the same" I disagree with this rule,because human being can do worst like killing innocents so why we should follow others without thinking and estimating.

in the matter of PS2,here in Iran I bought 3 ps2 games in the price of only 2 USD and the story is not different in other softwares.

[XVI]

I have asked my Muslim friend who in turned asked his Muslim cleric. In which he said it was wrong to steal anything in any form is utterly unacceptable.

[Ameer]

I have asked my Muslim friend who in turned asked his Muslim cleric. In which he said it was wrong to steal anything in any form is utterly unacceptable.

Different Muslims have different views. Depends how strict of a Muslim they are. If it came down to downloading music from P2P sharing programs such as LimeWire, then that is completely acceptable. But what this topic is based on, is unacceptable.

I have asked my Muslim friend who in turned asked his Muslim cleric. In which he said it was wrong to steal anything in any form is utterly unacceptable.

If it came down to downloading music from P2P sharing programs such as LimeWire, then that is completely acceptable.

It is your idea or Islam's idea?if it is Islam's idea What is the source of your words?

[Ameer]

I guess it would be mine and many other Muslims' idea. All in all, listening to music is against the Islamic way.

[kareem]

However, if you do that in countries such as the U.S, you would be sued for millions upon millions of dollars.

You actually wouldn't unless you got caught which happens to like one in a million. We sent our Wii to a guy to Texas and he did a hardmod for us; we don't even buy the copied CDs, we download them

So to answer your question, no. Not just for muslims either.

You have to give a source if you're going to give a definite answer

I guess it would be mine and many other Muslims' idea. All in all, listening to music is against the Islamic way.

To an extent and depends on what you listen to. Surat (chapter) Luqman (Locman) Aya (verse): "And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e.music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allah, the Verses of the Qur'an) by way of mockery."

Anything that interferes or derails you from the path of God becomes haram.

thanks for all the info.
I wonder what Muslims should react against lack of copyright in Muslim countries?and what government should do?
maybe there is copyright in some Muslim countries but there is no serious react from them in recent years...