Fatwa ID: 04364

Answered by: Alimah Sabrina al-Faarsiyyah

Question

Assalamu Alaykum,

I would like a fatwa regarding an activity I am considering. If I were to download existing videos from YouTube and then edit parts of it and re-upload it to YouTube, but that video has images of women talking (or even just the voice of the women without the woman's image), then would this re-posting of videos be allowed in the Shariah?

YouTube pays me a certain amount based on how many views I can get to a video which I upload.

Therefore, if I take somebody else's video and edit it (all legally), then re-upload it, but with elements of women in there, or a woman's voice in there, or football scenes with men's knees uncovered, would these video postings be permissible?

Although the focus of the video is not to display these aspects, they happen to be included in the subject of the video.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

It is not permissible for men to look at strange women with lust.[1] Likewise, it is not permissible for women to look at the area between the navel down to and including the knees of strange men.[2] You cannot control which men are going to look at the women in those videos with lust and which women will lower their gaze when it comes to the knees of strange men. However, you can control what you upload or don’t upload.

Moreover, there is a difference of opinions among scholars as to whether photography and video recordings are permissible or impermissible. Therefore, it would be wise to refrain from this activity which can lead to becoming something that promotes evil, and engage in another activity that encourages good. If you still want to engage in this activity, perhaps you can post Qur’an recitations, videos of scholars, etc.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Sabrina al-Faarsiyyah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham