Avoiding use of the Internet for Haram purposes
Fatwa No: 87380

Question

I want your advice. I often use the Internet to visit your website and other Islamic websites as I have a use for them. But on rare occasions I open dirty websites, then after I the Internet cafe I regret that I opened such websites. So I want your advice so that I can avoid such things. I have become afraid to go to the Internet cafe to avoid opening those websites. Please help me.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

 

It is unlawful for anyone who uses the Internet to visit sites that publish indecent things, expose pictures of naked people or show anything that does not please Allah.  So, the person should not visit such sites in the first place.  But if one happens to visit them, he/she should fear Allah, turn his/her gaze immediately from the forbidden things, and close that site.  Indeed, such sites are gates for Satan to tempt the heart and lead the person to sin.  Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan), then, verily he commands Al-Fahshâ' [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)], and Al-Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islâm, etc.)]…..}[24:21].

Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Allah has prescribed for the child of Adam his/her share of Zina, and he/she will commit that no matter what he/she does (to avoid it).  The Zina of the eye is the sight, the Zina of the tongue is the speech and the soul desires and wishes, while the sex (organ) ratifies that or denies it".

So, you should, dear brother, repent to Allah and immediately stop visiting such sites.  You should also feel deep sorrow for that, regret it, and resolve not to repeat such acts again.

In addition, we advise you to stay away from Internet cafes as long as you cannot control yourself.  It is a fundamental rule in Shariah that it is an obligation to give up the lawful thing if it leads to committing a Haram thing.  You should even avoid Internet café until you feel confident that you will control yourself and avoid bad sites.

Allah knows best.

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