Download
0 / 0
1063705/06/2003

Opening an internet café in which there is no supervision of users

Question: 34672

What is the ruling on working or investing in internet cafes, knowing that some of the visitors to these places go to websites that are forbidden according to sharee’ah… and all that I can do is to hang up a sign in front of each internet user reminding them that these sites are haraam, and where each user is in a separate booth to guard his privacy, and I cannot watch all of them all the time? Will I be guilty of sin or is the user himself the only one who will be responsible for his bad actions?.

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

It is not permissible to work or invest in
internet cafes unless they are free of evils, which includes not allowing the visitors to go to haraam websites, by denying them access to such
sites, or by throwing them out if they insist on using them. That is because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not
help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2] 

“Those among the Children of Israel who
disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawood (David) and ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allaah and the
Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds.

They used not to forbid one another from
Al-Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do”

[al-Maa’idah 5:78, 79]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever calls others to right guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without that detracting
from their reward in the slightest, and whoever calls others to misguidance will have a burden of sin like that of those who follow him without
that detracting from their sins in the slightest.” Narrated by Muslim, 2674. 

And he said: “Whoever among you sees an evil
action, let him change it with his hand (by taking action); if he cannot then with his tongue (by speaking out); and if he cannot then with his
heart (by hating it and feeling that it is wrong), but this is the weakest of faith.” Narrated by Muslim, 49. 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: “Denouncing in one’s heart is obligatory upon everyone, which means hating and despising the evil and separating from those who do it
if one is unable to change it with one’s hand or tongue, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

‘And when you (Muhammad) see those who
engage in a false conversation about Our Verses (of the Qur’aan) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if
Shaytaan (Satan) causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists
and wrongdoers)’

[al-An’aam 6:68].” 

From al-Durar al-Saniyyah fi’l-Ajwibah
al-Najdiyyah, 16/142. 

If it is not possible to control this café and prevent evil from taking place therein, then it
is not permissible to open such a place, so as to avoid falling into sin. 

If you give up this work seeking to draw
closer to Allaah and to keep away from dubious matters, then receive the glad tidings of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him): “Whoever gives up something for the sake of Allaah, He will compensate him with something better than that.” 

We ask Allaah to give you strength and to
bless you, and to compensate you with something better. 

And Allaah knows best.

Source

Islam Q&A

Was this answer helpful?

at email

Our newsletter

To join our newsletter please add your email below

phone

IslamQA App

For a quick access to our content and offline browsing

download iosdownload android