Egypt's Grand Mufti: Sharing Wi-Fi passwords with neighbours without provider approval is forbidden

Dubai: Egypt's Grand Mufti has ruled that permanently sharing a home Wi-Fi password or internet connection with neighbours in return for a monthly fee is religiously forbidden if done without the written approval of the internet service provider.

The ruling, issued by Egypt's Dar Al Ifta after a public query, addresses cases in which a subscriber extends internet access to a neighbour by providing a Wi-Fi password or connecting a cable in exchange for regular payment.

Grand Mufti Nazir Mohamed Ayyad said such arrangements violate the contractual terms between customers and telecommunications companies, which typically state that the service is for the subscriber's personal use and cannot be transferred or resold without the provider's written consent.

He said the practice amounts to deception, infringes the company's financial rights and breaches the principle of good faith in honouring contracts.

According to the fatwa, internet service agreements fall under contracts governing the use of services, making subscribers legally and religiously bound by their terms.

Since Egyptian internet contracts explicitly prohibit transferring or reselling the service without prior written approval and payment of the required fees, using the connection beyond the agreed terms constitutes a breach of contract.

The ruling concludes that obtaining the service in a manner different from what was agreed, by sharing it with others instead of using it personally, amounts to deception and misrepresentation, both of which are prohibited under Islamic law.