Downloaded Web Series and Making Available for Free

27-11-2018 | IslamWeb

Question:

recently I maked a blogger website on Which I put link of Netflix webseries movies Wich I got from other websites those giving them for free I copied those download link and shrinked them and posted them on website so I want to know that is it Haram or halal? I am confused beacause I am just sharing them not stealed and upload them but I am shrinking them to.

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible to copy or download the web series and programs whose owners prevent from downloading them without compensation (paying the due charges), and without their permission.

If anyone transgresses these rights and downloads or reposts them for free, then this does not allow others to take them from him and repost them.

The fact that someone (illegally) makes them available for free, does not revoke the right of the owners of these web series and programs. This is because downloading them and reposting them for free is a violation of the rights of the people (owners) without an Islamically legitimate justification.

Therefore, it is obligatory on you to stop this act and remove the links that you have posted, of these series or others.

This is, of course, if we presume that the content of these series is permissible, let alone if they include some Islamic violations.

In general, such series are not free from Islamic prohibitions, and this makes them forbidden to be watched.

If this is the case, then it is not permissible to post them even if their owners give you permission to post them or publish them.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 125679 and 264511.

Allah knows best.