Ruling on selling subscriptions to a file downloading site on the Internet

File downloading sites on the Internet may be used for good
or bad, beneficial or harmful purposes. In cases such as this, one should
refer to the principle of buying or renting things that may be used for
halaal or haraam purposes: 

It is permissible to sell subscriptions to those who it is
known or thought most likely that they will use it for permissible
purposes. 

And it is haraam to sell them to those whom it is known or
thought most likely that they will use it for haraam purposes, such as
putting haraam images, indecent movies and so on. 

If it is not known and the seller is uncertain and does not
know whether the buyer will use it for halaal or haraam purposes, and there
is nothing to indicate which of the two possibilities is more likely, then
the basic principle is that the sale is valid and permissible, because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah has
permitted trading” [al-Baqarah
2:275]. 

Then if the buyer uses it for anything haraam, the sin of
that is on him. 

See the answer to question number
75007. 

The owners of these websites should keep an eye on what is
being placed on them and stipulate that no files which are forbidden
according to sharee’ah are placed on them. 

Our advice is that people should not work in this field,
namely selling subscriptions, because even if he does not fall into haraam
for certain, by selling them to people who will use them for evil and
immoral purposes, he will be still uncertain as to whether his work is free
from sin. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2518) and al-Nasaa’i (5711); classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.  

And he (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever guards against the doubtful matters will protect his religious
commitment from shortcomings and will protect his honour from slander, but
whoever falls into that which is doubtful will fall into that which is
haraam, like a shepherd who grazes his flock around prohibited land; he will
soon graze in it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (52) and Muslim (1599). 

And Allaah knows best.