[Q 392] Responsibility for Rented Equipment Use

Question

I pray respected scholars and students are in the best of health.

My question is if your company/you provide sound equipment (speakers, mixers, mics etc) to others to play music on or for it to be involved in any form of impermissible act, would you also be responsible and liable for their sinning?

If so, would this result in it being haram income?

جزاك الله خيرا في الدارين

ANSWER

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایة الحق والصواب

It is permissible to rent out a sound system, and there is no harm in this. And earning made from it is also Halal, because renting out a sound system is in itself a permissible act. The sin of playing music, songs, etc., falls upon the one who commits that act, and it has no link to the owner of the equipment. However, if it is known beforehand that the person will definitely use it for impermissible purposes, then it should not be rented out to such a person.

Also, keep in mind that in many cases, the sound operator is also present at the event, and he himself plays the music and songs — this situation is not permissible.

In Kanz ad-Daqāʾiq with (the commentary) Tabyīn al-Ḥaqāʾiq, it is written regarding renting a house to non-Muslims in which they will sell alcohol:

(وَجَازَ إِجَارَةُ بَيْتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَهُ بَيْتَ نَارٍ أَوْ بَيْعَةً أَوْ كَنِيسَةً أَوْ يُبَاعَ فِيهِ خَمْرٌ بِالسَّوَادِ) ۔۔۔أن الإجارة على منفعة البيت ولهذا يجب الأجر بمجرد التسليم، ولا معصية فيه، وإنما المعصية بفعل المستأجر، وهو مختار فيه لقطع نسبته عنه.

[Tabyīn ul-Ḥaqā’iq, Sharḥ ul-Kanz ud-Daqā’iq, Kitāb ul-Karāhiyyah, Section on Sales, vol. 6, page 29]

In Jadd al-Mumtār, it is stated:

“إن الشَّيْءَ إذَا صَلُحَ فِي حَدِّ ذَاتِهِ بأَنْ يُسْتَعْمَلَ فِي مَعْصِيَةٍ وَفِي غَيْرِهَا وَلَمْ يَتَعَيَّنْ لِلْمَعْصِيَةِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْعُهُ إعَانَةً عَلَيْهَا، لاحْتِمَالِ أَنْ يُسْتَعْمَلَ فِي غَيْرِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا يَتَعَيَّنُ ذَلِكَ بِقَصْدِ الْقَاصِدِينَ، وَالشَّكُّ لَا يُؤَثِّرُ”

[Jad al-Mumtār, Kitāb al-Ḥaẓr wa al-Ibāḥah, vol. 7, p. 76, Maktabah tul-Madinah Karachi]

والله أعلم ورسوله أعلم بالصواب

Answered by: Usman Madani (Ask Mufti scholar)

Translated answer

Date: 6th April 2025.