Praise be to Allah.
Everything that is used in a haraam manner, it is not permissible to sell it. It is not permissible to buy or sell this equipment, or to give it as a gift, because doing so is helping another to see haraam things and commit immoral actions – Allaah forbid. It involves cooperating in the evil which Islam came to forbid. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“but do not help one another in sin and transgression”
[al-Maa’idah 5:2]
What he has to do is to destroy that haraam equipment which is one of the greatest means of spreading corruption and immorality in society. Whoever works to spread this equipment is subject to the warning of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter”
[al-Noor 24:19]
The questioner and all Muslims should realize that whoever helps to spread corruption by facilitating its ways and means will carry the sin of everyone who deviates and is affected because of that. It is an ongoing evil deed which may continue even after he dies. This is a serious matter to which we must pay attention. The one who tells others to do good is like the one who does it, and the one who tells others to do evil is like the one who does it.
It was narrated that Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “Some Bedouin people came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing wool, and he saw that they were in a bad state and in need. He encouraged the people to give charity to them but they were too slow in responding, until it could be seen in his face (that he was upset). Then a man from among the Ansaar brought a purse of silver, then another came, then people came one after another, until signs of happiness could be seen on the Prophet’s face. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever starts something good in Islam and others do it after him, there will be recorded for him a reward equal to that of those who do it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever starts something bad in Islam and others do it after him, there will be recorded for him a burden of sin equal to that of those who do it, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.’”
(Narrated by Muslim)
Al-Nawawi said:
“The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Whoever starts something good…’ and ‘whoever starts something bad…’ According to another hadeeth he said, ‘Whoever promotes guidance…’ and ‘whoever promotes misguidance…’ These two ahaadeeth clearly state that it is mustahabb to start good things and that it is forbidden to start bad things. Whoever starts a good thing will have a reward equal to that of everyone who does it until the Day of Resurrection, and whoever starts a bad thing will have a burden of sin equal to that of everyone who does it until the Day of Resurrection; whoever promotes guidance will have a reward equal to that of those who follow him, and whoever promotes misguidance will have a burden of sin equal to that of those who follow him – regardless of whether that guidance or misguidance is something that he initiated or that someone else started before him, and whether that is done by teaching knowledge, or it is an act or worship, or some kind of etiquette, or something else.
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘and others do it after him’ refer to when a person starts something, whether others do it after him during his own lifetime or after his death. And Allaah knows best.”
(Sharh Muslim, 16/226-227)
So he must hasten to repent to Allaah, and destroy these kinds of machines. The Muslim must use the intelligence and wisdom that Allaah has given to him to spread goodness and put a stop to evil, and not to crack codes etc., or to spread evil. It is not permissible to trade in any means that leads to evil. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek.
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