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Is it acceptable to unscramble cable TV signals?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

Assalamualikum, I subscribe to cable TV, and get my TV signal from the cable company. The package I subscribe to is the basic package which costs $20.00 per month, and I get 10 channels. I am not able to view the other channels because they are scrambled, and my TV cannot decode these. If I pay $30.00 per month, the cable company will unscramble 10 more channels. I can buy a de-scrambler from outside for $400 which will descramble all channels for me. In this case I will only have to pay the cable company the minimum $20.00, and with the de-scrambler I can watch all scrambled channels for free. The question is, will this be regarded as stealing? I feel that since the signal is already entering my house, I can do whatever I want with it. (To get the signal inside my house I still have to pay the minimum $20.00.)The cable company is aware that the signal for the scrambled channels is available to me, but they are convinced that I will not be able to de-scramble it. Please advise me. Keep in mind that this is a common practice in the military world to unscramble the signal available over the airwaves.

Answer

Apart from the issue of illegally descrambling the signals, the contents of
the vast majority of TV programs and channels, if not completely Haraam to
view, are certainly dubious. Descrambling signals of these channels,
supposing they were permissible to watch in the manner described, is not
permissible since the signal is brought to you by the cable company who have
a right to change for the service provided.

and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT

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This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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