format_quote Originally Posted by
AnonymousGender
Assalaamu Alaikum Rahmatullaha Wa Barakatahu,
Pirating is on the rise and wanted to ask is Pirating Haram.
JasakAllahu Khair
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, my brother do NOT listen to anyone who tries to tell you that this deception and cheating is permissable or allowed. They are just decieving themselves and decieving you at the same time. He who makes haram into halal is out of the fold of Islam. It is VERY dangerous for people to call what is not permissable permissable.
If you had a business for which you relied on for income, selling software and you knew of a person who bought your software and started making mass copys of it and selling it cheaper than you by undercutting your prices therefore resulting in people buying it off him instead of you then how would you feel? This cheating by making copys of your software and selling them on would surely result in your business losing out therefore affecting your income with which you rely so much on!
Cheating is one of the major evils of the society. It is because of this that many have been destroyed and some have even lost their lives. Although cheating sounds something very small, but the effect it leaves cannot be described. An entire family might die of hunger just because they were cheated. A person might loose all his wealth just because of cheating. One may loose his life just because he was cheated.
Allah dislikes cheating and the people who do it. in the Glorious Quran, Allah has warned those who indulge in cheating of dire consequences.
Allah says in Surah Al-Mutaffifeen 83: 1
“Woe to Al‑Mutaffifoon (those who give less in measure and weight). Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, And when they have to give by measure or weight to (other) men, give less than due”
[al-Mutaffifeen 83:1]
In this verse, Allah gives severe warning to those who cheat by giving less in weights and measures. If such kind of cheating is given this kind of warning, imagine what would be the condition of a person who steals, embezzles and withholds from the people the things that are due? No doubt, they are the ones more evil than those who cheat in weights and measures.
The Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (Pbuh), warned us of cheating and issued caution to those who do it. The Prophet (Pbuh) passed by a pile of food and put his hand into it, and his fingers touched something wet. He said, “What is this, O seller of the food?” The man said, “It got rained on, O Messenger of Allaah.” He said, “Why did you not put it (the wet part) on top of the pile so that the people could see it? He who deceives does not belong to me.”
According to other reports, “He who deceives us is not one of us,” or, “He is not one of us who deceives us.”
(Narrated by Muslim).
The version narrated by Al-Nawawi has wordings, “he is not one of us”, is enough warning against cheating and sufficient deterrent against indulging in this heinous sin.
Cheating and deception are despicable characteristics that are beneath a decent person. Intentionally distorting the truth in order to mislead others contradicts the values of honesty, which requires an attitude of sincerity, straightforwardness, and fairness that leaves no room for cheating, lying, trickery, or deceit. There are many texts from the Quran and the Sunnah conveying the meaning that cheating, whether the target be Muslims or non-Muslims, is forbidden.
Accepting the guidance of Islam leads a person to truthfulness, which means a person completely avoids cheating, cheating, and back-stabbing. The Prophet of Islam said:
“Whoever bears arms against us is not one of us, and whoever cheats us is not one of us.”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Al-Mannaawi said: Cheating is that which mixes bad with good.
Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said: The forbidden type of cheating is when the owner of the goods knows something which, if the would-be purchaser knew about it, he would not pay that amount of money for it.
Al-Kafawi said: Cheating causes blackness of the heart and frowning on the face, hence this word (ghish = cheating or deceit) is also used (in Arabic) to refer to hatred or enmity.
According to another report, the Prophet passed by a pile of food in the market. He put his hand inside it and felt dampness, although the surface was dry.
He said:
“O owner of the food, what is this?’
The man said, ‘It was damaged by rain, O Messenger of Allah.’
He said, ‘Why did you not put the rain-damaged food on top so that people could see it! Whoever cheats us is not one of us.”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Muslim society is based on purity of feeling, love, sincerity towards every Muslim, and fulfillment of promises to every member of society. Its members are endowed with piety, truthfulness, and faithfulness. Cheating and deception are alien characters in contrast to the noble character of a true Muslim. There is no room in it for swindlers, double crossers, tricksters, or traitors.
Islam views cheating and deception as heinous sins, a source of shame to the one guilty of committing them, both in this world and the next. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, did not merely denounce them by excluding them from the Muslim community in this world, he also announced that on the Day of Judgment every traitor would be raised carrying the flag of his betrayal.
A caller will cry out from the vast arena of judgment, pointing to him, drawing attention to him:
“Every traitor will have a banner on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said: This is the betrayer of so-and-so.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The shame of traitors – men and women - will be immense. Those who thought that their betrayal had been forgotten will find it right there, exposed for the whole world to see on banners raised high held by their own hands!
Their shame will increase even more when they meet with the Prophet of Mercy, the advocate of the sinners on that terrifying and horrible Day. Their crime is of such enormity that it will deprive them of divine mercy and the Prophet’s intercession.
The Rasulallah(Pbuh) said:
“Allah said: There are three whom I will oppose on the Day of Resurrection: a man who gave his word and then betrayed it; a man who sold a free man into slavery and kept the money; and a man who hired someone, benefited from his labor, then did not pay his wages.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
One should steer clear of all the various forms of deceit and deception present in today’s society.
Cheating is common in examinations, business transactions, and even between spouses and loved ones.
Cheating by making copys of thigns and selling them cheaper, this is clear deception anc heating. Placing a label on domestically-made products to make it seem that it is imported is a kind of fraud.
Some people give wrong advice when their council is sought and thus deceive the person who believes he is getting good advice.
An employee should do the job for what he is paid for without any deception or cheating. Rulers rig the ballot to win elections and cheat the whole nation.
Cheating between spouses and having extra-marital affairs is widespread in modern society.
A Muslim should value himself too highly to be among those who cheat or deceive perchance one might fall in the category of hypocrites about whom the Prophet said:
“There are four characteristics, whoever has all of them is a true hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has one of the qualities of a hypocrite until he gives it up: when he is trusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he disputes, he resorts to slander.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
Therefore, a Muslim who has true Islamic sensitivities avoids deceit, cheating, treachery, and lying no matter what benefits or profits such activities might bring him, because Islam considers those guilty of such deeds to be hypocrites.