Cloning websites
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
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Darul Ifta Ibn Masood. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.