BENEFIT 211: Alternative to CCTV

There are always Halal alternatives... ولكن أكثر الناس لا يفقهون Question: What is the ruling on installing video cameras in shops to monitor theft? Answer: It is forbidden. Cameras are not permissible because they capture images of living beings, and taking pictures of living beings is prohibited. This is a fitnah from Shaytan. In some cases, the value of items stolen from a shop may be less than the cost of the camera itself, but Shaytan encourages imitation (of the kuffar) and facilitates sinning, making it seem normal. If the shop is large, you should hire a guard if you fear theft. Even if theft occurs, the Prophet ﷺ said: ((ما مِن مُسلِمٍ يَغرِسُ غَرسًا، أو يَزرَعُ زَرعًا، فيأكُلُ منه طَيرٌ أو إنسانٌ أو بهيمةٌ؛ إلَّا كان له به صدقةٌ)). “No Muslim plants a tree or sows a crop, and a bird, person, or animal eats from it, except that it will be considered charity for him.” There are alternatives to cameras. For example, in Tanzania, there is a large market called the market of Africa, where they place some kind of tag on each item; and these are registered on a computer. If a thief tries to leave with an item, an alarm sounds at the door, notifying staff without physical confrontation. They politely ask the person to return the unpaid item. This method avoids using cameras and prevents theft effectively. When we saw this, Sheikh Hussein Al-Hatibi and I were amazed at how such a large market had no theft and no guards, relying solely on this system. Therefore, use these kinds of devices instead of cameras, as using cameras is merely a deception from Shayṭān. Source: https://t.me/A_lzoukory/17488 @almanhajussalafi