Copyright infringement of software

The term piracy refers to copyright violation, i.e., the unauthorised selling of counterfiet computer software, music, movies etc. In order to fit into the definition of "pirate" such infringing materials must be distributed for profit.

The copying of software, music and films where no money changes hands is known as warez, and is perfectly legal in many jurisdictions. In Russia, it is ligal to copy any software as long as it is not in the Russian language.

In Islam, copyrighting of ideas and the concept of intellectual property is Haram or forbidden, since: "Knowledge is the ownership of whoever possesses it and not the ownership of the one who taught it only. Thus, as long as a person has the knowledge, it is his/her property, but once it is revealed to others, by any means, it becomes allowed for everyone to use it with or without the permission of the original owner.

Therefore, no one has the right to copyright because whatever is written in that book, for example, is knowledge. As long as that person possesses that knowledge, it is his/hers, but once he/she gives it to people verbally, in writing, or in any means, it becomes allowed for all people. Teaching that knowledge, by these people, to anybody is also allowed. Then, making copyrights on any kind of knowledge is a prohibition to what is already allowed by Allah. Making copyrights is making teaching knowledge, acquiring knowledge haram. Therefore, it is not allowed for anyone to have copyrights. This, however, should not give the impression that one can buy a book or a computer program, for example, and claim that he/she is the author of that material. Claiming such thing is considered a lie in Islam (not stealing) and it is haram."

The term is a dysphemism, making a connection between the often-violent pirates -- robbers on the high seas -- and unauthorized resellers of copyrighted intellectual property.