What is the ruling on the income obtained from YouTube and TikTok channels through advertisements and views, when advertisements sometimes also include music, immodesty, or haram products (for example, interest-based banks, alcohol, gambling), and the channel owner does not have full control over these advertisements?

First of all, the channel's own content will be examined. If the content contains music, dancing and singing, immodesty, falsehood, rumour, or mockery and ridicule of anyone, then that content itself is haram and the income obtained from it is also impermissible. The evidence for the prohibition of music is this saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "There will be people among my Ummah who will consider zina, silk, alcohol and musical instruments (ma'azif) to be lawful" (Sahih al-Bukhari: 5590). And whoever calls towards sin and misguidance bears a burden like the sins of his followers (Sahih Muslim: 2674). Changing the platform does not change the ruling; whether it is TikTok or YouTube, the criterion is the content and the advertisement. Content that is in itself halal, for example education, da'wah, handicraft etc., has no prohibition in its origin.

- If the advertisement is for halal things and services, its income is halal. - If the channel owner himself appears in an advertisement or promotes something haram through sponsorship, this is cooperation in sin: ﴿وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ﴾ (do not cooperate in sin and transgression) (Surah al-Ma'idah: 2), and its income is haram. - If the advertisements come through an automated system and are not under the owner's direct control, it is necessary for him to block haram categories as far as possible and to keep watch over what surrounds his content. After this effort, if most advertisements are halal and haram appears only occasionally, then according to the scholars it is hoped that there is no sin in the income. But if haram advertisements predominate, or negligence is shown despite it being possible to block them, then abandoning this source is necessary, because in this case he is deemed a participant in promoting haram.

Even if the content is pure, including background music in it is not permissible, because music is haram in itself. Income is generally received in return for advertisements and views, not in return for the music included in the content; in this respect the ruling on the money is separate and the sin of including music remains in its place — but a Muslim must abandon this sin in every case, even if the income continues.

Allah Almighty says: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ﴾ (Indeed, those who love that indecency should spread among those who believe will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter) (Surah an-Nur: 19). Becoming a means of spreading indecency and sin for the sake of income is contrary to the objective of protecting religion and morality. If this same means is used in spreading goodness and benefit, it can become a cause of reward: "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward like the rewards of his followers" (Sahih Muslim: 2674).

Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.