Using pirated content: what to do and how to repent
Question
I have downloaded books online for free but they weren’t with the permission of the author - as in a website allows for books to be downloaded, like an online library. I recently found out that this isn’t acceptable in Islam and was wondering how to compensate for this. What about watching dramas and movies online and not on paid platforms or about comic books on websites that are not with the permission of the authors. Many people have different opinions on this - some say to repent and move on, don’t go back to these and others say you need to pay them back but I’ve read so many books online that I don’t have the money to pay for them all and also who do I pay back? Some say if it’s not used for commercial gains and for your own personal use then it’s acceptable to use these pirated copies or downloaded copies as it wasn’t us personally who copied them but we’re just using the platform some one else already copied for us. Some say this is still stealing and it’s not permissible. What’s the hanafi ruling and what should I do about all the things I’ve consumed online that wasn’t through paid means. This has given me a lot of anxiety because I didn’t realise what I was doing was wrong.
Islamic Ruling & Answer
VerifiedUsing someone’s work (like books, movies, etc.) without permission is not allowed, even if it’s only for personal use. If you did this without knowing, then there is no sin, but once you know, you should stop immediately. For what you did in the past, sincere repentance is enough. Since it’s usually not possible to reach the original owners and pay them back, it is not required to return the money. However, for peace of heart, you can give some voluntary charity according to your ability, and in the future, only use lawful sources.
Answered by
Mufti Tosif Qasmi
May 03, 2026
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