Dubai’s top religious authority has issued a religious edict against the use of WiFi connections without the consent of the connection’s owner, suggesting the act does not reflect Islamic conduct.
The religious decree appeared on the website of Dubai’s Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) on Monday in response to a question by an anonymous user.
“There is nothing wrong in using the line if your neighbors allow you to do so, but if they’d don’t allow you, you may not use it,” a report in Dubai daily Khaleej Times reads.
The chief mufti at IACAD Dr Ali Mashael stated told the newspaper that if WiFi is used by anyone without the owner’s consent, it will be a kind of fraud, embezzlement and theft.
“Whether the WiFi service owner is affected or not, it is haram or prohibited to avail the service without his or her consent,” he said.
He also suggested that the owner of the WiFi connection might be lead to some another sin or error in case his connection gets badly affected by the WiFi hacker or illegal user.
Islamic religious clergy in Dubai is known to respond to online queries from across the country on various religious matters and modern issues.
Though essentially an Islamic legal pronouncement, the Monday’s edict is not a law and no person can be punished for violating it.
Feature image source: Reuters/Representational Image