Searching in Public Information is not Spying

23-9-2018 | IslamWeb

Question:

Does this come under as stalking? A person admires a student of knowledge or a non-student of knowledge by searching information about them online to know them better and to see what accounts they have?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

We hope that what you mentioned in not included in spying if it is done with the intention of exploring the knowledge of that person and benefiting from his website and so on.

The spying that is forbidden is to investigate hidden matters and searching for the faults of others. Searching in information that is published by its owner who has allowed people to know or view it is not included in spying.

Ibn Al-Atheer said in his book An-Nihaayah:

"Spying is searching the hidden matters and affairs of the people. This is mostly said when one intends evil (or harm).” [End of quote]

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 224389, 381345 and 375268.

Allah knows best.

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