Fatwa ID: 07620

Answered by: Moulana Ubaidur Rahman

Question:

Assalamu Alaikum,

I’m a graphic designer who creates YouTube thumbnails. My clients handle the video content and sometimes add music. My role is just to design the thumbnail. I don’t deal with the video or music.

A friend told me it might be haram since the videos could contain music and ads. Here’s my situation: I only design thumbnails, no music or video editing. Clients add music to their videos, not me. I don’t control what’s in the videos. I get approached by clients, they pay me for the thumbnail they need, and I deliver it to them. That’s it!

Is it okay in Islam to do this work? Am I accountable for the video content?

JazakAllah Khair for your advice.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Allah mentions in the Quraan,

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُم مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۚ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ

Any earnings made through a haram avenue is prohibited to engage in that work. Any work which is not involved in haram, therefore would be allowed and permissible.

In this scenario, The work which you do with the thumbnails is completely separate from the music which your clients add; even if it could be part of the overall result,  that part is not in your control. 

it is allowed for you to do this work in Islam as you are not engaging in any impermissible activity. You will only be accountable for the parts in which you played a role, not regarding the actions of others. 

At-Tabari,  said in his commentary on the verse that reads (what means): 

{ … and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another}: 

“It means that no one will bear the sins of others nor will one be held accountable for them.

Relating to this verse, Allah informs his servants that every person will be held accountable regarding their own actions and not in regards to that of another. In this contract, it relates to you being responsible for that which you have done in relation to the thumbnail, and not anything else beyond that, such as the addition of music.

As-Suddi commented on the verse as follows: It means that no one will be held accountable for the misdeeds of another person.” 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by: Maulana Ubaidur Rahman.

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah.

Darul Ifta Birmingham.

References

Kanz ud Daqaaiq, Page 596, Maktabatus shaamila.

Kitaab Hashiyya Ibn Abideen, Page 531, Volume 4, Maktabatus Shaamila.