FatwaFederal TerritoriesTransactions & Finance
AL-KAFI #1823: HUKUM MENJUAL BUKU YANG SUDAH TIDAK DICETAK
What is the ruling on selling a rewritten copy of a book that its publisher no longer prints?
Short answer
Selling a reproduced book is permitted if the sale only covers printing costs.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Transactions & Finance
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Selling a reproduced book is permitted if the sale only covers printing costs. If the aim is to make a profit, it is not permitted unless the copyright holders, especially the publisher, give their consent. The fatwa notes that the majority of scholars recognise copyright as a right that carries financial benefit. The Copyright Act 1987 exempts reproduction for purposes such as research, private study and criticism, provided the source and author are acknowledged.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Sekiranya penjualan kitab tersebut sekadar menampung kos percetakan, maka ia dibenarkan.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1823: HUKUM MENJUAL BUKU YANG SUDAH TIDAK DICETAK”, 30 August 2021. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/4959-al-kafi-1823-hukum-menjual-buku-yang-sudah-tidak-dicetak. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-selling-out-of-print-books/