Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Cloning websites

· 14 Jumada I 1445 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

I started working as a freelancer(remotely) online where a person can make money from selling his services. A few days ago a client wrote to me on the platform and requested me to secure him a website by cloning one that already exists, which he in turn will customize to feature his own brand. Would this be permissible for me to do?

Answer

In simple terms, you are copying another person’s website and selling it to your client in lieu of a fee. Since the laws of copyrights are not applicable in terms of Shariah, it will be permissible to clone or copy a website. Again, this is the ruling in terms of Shariah only.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

الحقوق المجردة لا يجوز الاعتياض عنها (الأشباه والنظائر 1/178)

والحقوق المفردة لا تحتمل التمليكa، ولا يجوز الصلح عليه (بدائع الصنائع 6/190)

Answered by
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Checked & approved by
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/cloning-websites/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-28383

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